WHAT'S RING SHOUT?
Ring Shout was a dance-like form of Christian worship done by African-American slaves, mostly before the Civil War. It involves moving in a counterclockwise circle, singing, clapping, stomping and beating on the floor rhythmically with a stick or broom. (For a more complete description click here.)
OUR GOALS:
- LEARN ABOUT IT: We will learn all we can from the few remaining practitioners of Ring Shout, and the people who have studied and written about Ring Shout.
- DO IT: We will learn to do Ring Shout in as authentic a manner as is possible.
- SHARE IT: We will start a small performance troupe which will demonstrate and share Ring Shout at local schools and churches. Everything thing we learn will be posted on this web site.
OUR WEB PAGES:
- DEFINITION OF RING SHOUT
- LEARNING AND TEACHING RING SHOUT: Sticking, clapping, singing, and Ring Shout movement lessons.
- HISTORICAL REFERENCES: Historical references to help people get a feel for what it was really like in the old days.
- BOOKS AND RECORDINGS
- WEB LINKS
- OTHER GROUPS: Other groups attempting to save and revive old forms of African-American music/worship.