Cultural practitioners and dance enthusiasts have called for the establishment of formal dance institutions across Nigeria to help preserve and promote the nation’s rich cultural heritage.

They fear that without structured platforms for training and documentation, many traditional dances risk extinction in the face of globalization and modern entertainment trends.

The call was made at the October edition of Seoul Arts Center (SAC) on Screen, a periodic film showcase celebrating Korean cinema organised by the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria (KCCN), featuring “Dance Speaks,” a documentary centered around professional dancers in six different genres of dance.

The documentary exposed the audience to the breathtaking journey of beauty, pain, and devotion that lives within every dancer, featuring the experiences of a ballet dancer, a B-Boy dancer, a Korean traditional dancer, a modern dancer, and a ballerino artiste.

A Cultural and Dance Enthusiast, Sharon Pwavi-Babal, who described the documentary as interesting, highlighted the power of culture on the Korean dance model as seen in the ballet, taekwondo, modern dance, and b-ball, which was similar to hip-hop.

According to her, ‘Dance Speaks’ was indicative of how other cultures have impacted the Korean dance culture from French originated Ballet, African American B-Boy, to the American-born modern dance.