Dance Like a Butterfly: West African Folk Songs Collection for Elementary & Middle School

This vibrant collection of folk songs and activities for elementary and middle school students explores the cultures and rich music traditions of four West African countries: Liberia, Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana.

Each song in this marvelous and practical collection includes a wide variety of pedagogical strategies, including: solfege and rhythm reading, call and response singing, listening and rote learning lessons, recorder and various percussion instrument activities, creative movement, harmony and part-singing, and more.

Throughout the book, authors Kwasi Dunyo and Karen Howard treat cultural context - including details about each country's history, people, languages, and traditions - with equal importance. They also provide translations, phonetic pronunciations, and background information for each song.

Dance Like a Butterfly includes access to supplemental online resources, including PowerPoint slides, recordings of the songs with pronunciation guides, videos of movement activities, and dozens of links to more resources about West Africa and its music.

As part of the World Music Initiative series, this book thoughtfully guides teachers in using West African songs in the music classroom while respecting the authenticity and stories of the people behind the music. These captivating songs are certain to expand the minds and spark the creativity of students and teachers in fresh and exciting ways!