By Nigerian and United Kingdom based theatre participatory artist Ajide Adeyemi delivered one of the standout cultural experiences at this year’s Africa Oyé Festival in Liverpool, leading an energetic Bata Dance and African Drumming Workshop that transformed audiences from spectators into active participants.
Speaking with BlackBox Nigeria after the event, Adeyemi said his goal was to create an immersive experience that introduced people of different backgrounds to the richness of Yoruba performance traditions through movement, rhythm and collective participation.
Held at the Kukina Tent Family Zone in collaboration with Movema Company and Ajidans Studios Productions, the workshop formed part of the wider Africa Oyé Festival, the United Kingdom’s largest annual celebration of African and Caribbean music and culture.
The city of Liverpool came alive throughout the festival with colourful displays of African and Caribbean heritage, featuring music, dance, acrobatics, visual arts, fashion exhibitions, food and energetic drumming that echoed across Sefton Park.
At the cultural festival, Adeyemi guided families and festival visitors through the fundamentals of Bata dance, a ceremonial Yoruba dance tradition closely associated with Sango, the deity of thunder and lightning in Yoruba cosmology. The performance combined rapid footwork, distinctive shoulder movements and rhythmic communication between drummer and dancer.
Participants were introduced to simplified movements drawn from the Éwó, Éjá and Gbàmù styles, foundational elements within the Bata dance tradition. Rather than presenting the art form as a stage performance alone, Adeyemi encouraged attendees to learn, move and perform together.
Accompanied by a team of accomplished drummers, the workshop explored how traditional African performance relies on dialogue between movement and percussion, where each rhythm carries meaning and each dance response reflects careful listening and coordination.
A major feature of the session was the “Drums Clapperton,” an audience engagement technique designed to encourage participation through body percussion and rhythmic exercises. Audience members responded to drum calls by creating rhythms with claps, footsteps and other body movements, turning the workshop into a shared creative experience.
According to Adeyemi, the exercise helps improve alertness, supports mental wellbeing and builds creative confidence while breaking down the barrier between performers and audiences.
“The idea is to make everyone part of the performance,” he told BlackBox Nigeria. “When people participate through rhythm and movement, they connect more deeply with the culture and with each other.”
The workshop was supported by fellow performers and drummers including Irede Adeyemi, Dare Conga, Spencer Momoh, Omolara Adeyemi, Adefolarin Adeyemi and Ipadeola, whose performances added depth and authenticity to the interactive sessions.
Africa Oyé has grown into one of Europe’s leading celebrations of African culture since its establishment in 1992. Originally emerging from Liverpool’s cultural programme marking the “500 Years of Resistance” campaign, the festival has evolved into an internationally recognised event showcasing the diversity of African and Caribbean arts while challenging negative stereotypes about the continent.
This year’s main stage featured an international lineup including Fatoumata Diawara of Mali, Patoranking of Nigeria, Janet Kay of the United Kingdom, King Ayisoba of Ghana, Oumy of Senegal, Fulu Miziki of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghorwane of Mozambique, Nana Benz Du Togo, Kizaba of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kobo Town of Trinidad, and Awale Jant Band from Senegal and France.
Widely recognised as Britain’s largest festival celebrating African and Caribbean music and culture, Africa Oyé continues to provide a platform where artists, educators and cultural practitioners introduce audiences to the traditions, creativity and diversity of the African continent.
For Adeyemi, whose work centres on participatory theatre and cultural education, the Liverpool workshop reflected his wider commitment to preserving Yoruba heritage while creating inclusive spaces where communities from different backgrounds can learn through performance, storytelling and shared artistic experiences.
