What are traditional arts about?

What are Traditional Arts?

Traditional Arts are the basis of community living. They are the key aspect upon which the material and immaterial culture revolve. These arts are based on the relationship between community living and nature, functioning as entertainment, medicine, and ritual.

What are traditional arts in Opanije.com?

Opanije bridges the gap between traditional art and digital art, with a unique ecosystem of cultural content available for free, such as defining what is samba, and a subscription service with specific classes on traditional arts.

Subscribers are able to meet the bearers of cultural traditions that define the roots of the ethnicity, identity, and philosophy of oral traditions. They embody their cultural background and are happy to share it. Circular knowledge is what these arts are about, sharing the knowledge, and giving new life. Subscribers are also able to contact directly the teachers, asking for advice, pointing out difficulties, and getting help to immerse themselves in the culture.

What’s the meaning of traditional arts?

While it is important to understand the art’s techniques, in order to avoid injury and frustrations, traditional arts are about an entire cultural universe. Having a Master/student relationship, understanding references, artistic trajectory, and history. Traditional arts are about belonging, forming ties with culture, musical and dance movement, sharing experiences that bond communities and societies.

An original cultural universe within reach!

With the freedom to communicate and a very deep cultural repertoire to draw from, Opanije will make it possible for you to flourish your artistic abilities.

The method

 

All courses follow traditional style teachings: no theory, textbooks, and the like, as they are strictly oral teaching traditions. This doesn’t make it harder to learn! In fact, it will make you develop other areas of learning. Observing and listening are the basic principle upon which our teachers, and their teacher, and so on for several generations, learned.

Afro-Diasporic, and African music, for example, have numerous micro-timings, which can’t be written in western musical notation. This is one small proof that to preserve culture, we must preserve the learning principles of said culture.

There is a technical part that is basic for beginners and intermediary players, where they will build and strengthen their abilities. Traditional arts also have core skills that may be developed in many ways, which are needed to develop the skills needed to perform artistic expressions. They are important so that you won’t feel inapt or face frustration, and even to avoid injuries resulting from incorrect movements.

Traditional music, dance, and all other forms of art all require technical ability. While this technical repertoire is not written, as in guitar scales, the characteristic of traditional arts is practicing slowly the core movements, in the same way as scales. This is the base that makes up the unique fluidity in movements observed in all of our teachers.

In Opanije technique can be presented in body movements or by oral phrases that synthesize a core skill

To understand Traditional Arts, you must feel

 

 

Breathing the rhythms of dance and music is a sure way to feel the power of culture. In effect, learning is done by example and inspiration, as is the traditional way. Fall in love with what our ancestors created and become part of a long line of keepers of lore.

Traditional groups have never barred any person based on skill level, race, or social conditions.

What are traditional arts, but the expression of the communities?

 

The development of these arts is a core part of life in the community, giving meaning to the rituals, providing entertainment and joy, fostering discipline and consistency. Where traditional arts are found, communities are key part of the process

Traditional Arts are inclusive. Above all, they express the culture of previous generations. Moreover, they are available to anyone who wants to learn and contribute.

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We offer a percussion course that features direct contact with a Master Teacher!

You can start learning with traditional style teachings: no theory or textbooks!

Learn by oral teaching methods: Discover a new way to understand Rhythm!

To Observe and listen are the basic principle upon which our teachers, and their teacher, and so on for several generations, learned, and so can you!

You can also check out our Shop, to find Atabaques, Pandeiros, Agogôs, Caxixis, and many other Brazilian instruments, each one made by master craftsmen such as Mestre Dinho, from Pelourinho in Salvador.

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