My partner and I started performing traditional praise poetry and comedic storytelling at cultural events, but somewhere along the way we became so focused on getting every gesture and timing perfect that we've lost the spontaneous joy and laughter that made us fall in love with these traditions in the first place. We're technically better performers now, but the magic between us on stage has disappeared and I think we're both afraid to admit it.
More people experience this than they realize.
The pursuit of technical mastery has displaced the playful intimacy that originally drew them to perform together.
“Where Are You with African comedy traditions?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.