Kenyan Folk Dance

21 Grade 5 Creative Arts & Sports questions on Kenyan Folk Dance, with worked marking schemes. 21 questions are available on this topic in full.

1. Question 1

   4 marks

   Name any two Kenyan folk dances and, for each, state the community it is associated with.

   (4 marks)

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2. Question 2

   6 marks

   Your class is preparing an Isukuti dance for a school music festival. Describe three things the group must prepare or organise for a good performance.

   (6 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Any three, 2 marks each (item 1 + brief explanation 1): costumes/regalia - gather beads, cloth and ornaments for the dancers; instruments - get the drums and rattles ready and tune them; practice/rehearsal - learn and rehearse the movements and formations together; drummers - choose skilled players to keep the beat; formations/props - plan the arrangement and any props. Accept any three valid, explained points.

3. Question 3

   3 marks

   State three roles that different members can play in a folk-dance troupe.

   (3 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Any three (1 mark each): dancers - perform the movements; drummers/instrumentalists - provide the beat and music; singers/soloists - lead the songs; leader/conductor - guides and keeps the group together; costume/props keepers - prepare and manage regalia. Accept any three valid roles.

4. Question 4

   1 mark

   In the well-known Maasai adumu dance, the dancers perform by:

   A. spinning in pairs

   B. crawling on the ground

   C. sitting and swaying slowly

   D. jumping high while standing in a group

   (1 mark)

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5. Question 5

   1 mark

   Ohangla, a lively drumming dance, is associated with which Kenyan community?

   A. the Kalenjin

   B. the Kikuyu

   C. the Luo

   D. the Kisii

   (1 mark)

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6. Question 6

   1 mark

   Long ago, Kenyan folk dances were mainly performed to:

   A. score points against another team

   B. teach swimming skills

   C. keep time in a race

   D. celebrate occasions such as weddings, births and harvests

   (1 mark)

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7. Question 7

   3 marks

   Describe three features of a costume you might see a Kenyan folk dancer wearing during a performance.

   (3 marks)

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8. Question 8

   1 mark

   The special traditional clothing, beads and ornaments worn by dancers during a folk dance are known as the:

   A. lyrics

   B. formations

   C. costumes/regalia

   D. props

   (1 mark)

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9. Question 9

   4 marks

   Distinguish between a 'costume' and a 'prop' in folk dance, giving one example of each.

   (4 marks)

   Marking scheme

   A costume is the special traditional clothing and ornaments worn on the body by the dancer, e.g. beaded necklace, animal skin or headdress (2 marks). A prop is an object carried or held by the dancer to add meaning to the performance, e.g. a spear, shield, cow-tail whisk or gourd (2 marks).

10. Question 10

    1 mark

    The famous Chuka drummers who play large drums while dancing come from which region of Kenya?

    A. the Coast region

    B. the Lake Victoria region

    C. the North Eastern region

    D. the Mount Kenya region (Chuka/Meru)

    (1 mark)

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11. Question 11

    4 marks

    Explain two ways in which learning Kenyan folk dances helps a Grade 5 learner.

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Any two, 2 marks each: it helps learners appreciate and preserve their culture/heritage; it builds physical fitness, coordination and body control; it develops teamwork and confidence performing before others; it helps learners understand the history and values of their community. Accept any two well-explained benefits.

12. Question 12

    1 mark

    When dancers arrange themselves in a circle, a line or two rows during a performance, this arrangement is called the dance:

    A. formation

    B. chorus

    C. costume

    D. prop

    (1 mark)

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13. Question 13

    1 mark

    A cow-tail whisk, a spear or a shield carried by a dancer to make the performance more real is an example of a dance:

    A. tempo

    B. formation

    C. costume

    D. prop

    (1 mark)

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14. Question 14

    3 marks

    (a) State the main musical instrument used in most Kenyan folk dances.

    (b) Give two other instruments or sound-makers that could be added to accompany the dance.

    (3 marks)

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15. Question 15

    1 mark

    Which instrument gives the main beat in the Isukuti folk dance?

    A. the guitar

    B. the trumpet

    C. the flute

    D. the drum

    (1 mark)

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16. Question 16

    6 marks

    Explain three occasions or reasons for which Kenyan communities traditionally performed folk dances.

    (6 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Any three, 2 marks each (name occasion 1 + brief explanation 1): weddings/marriages - to celebrate and entertain guests; harvest/thanksgiving - to give thanks for a good harvest; initiation/coming-of-age ceremonies; birth of a child; welcoming visitors or leaders; religious/ritual worship; passing on history and values. Accept any three valid, explained occasions.

17. Question 17

    1 mark

    Besides entertainment, Kenyan folk dances were traditionally used to:

    A. pass on culture and communicate messages within the community

    B. measure the depth of a river

    C. decide the winner of a football match

    D. teach pupils multiplication

    (1 mark)

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18. Question 18

    4 marks

    Define the term 'formation' in dance and give two examples of formations dancers can use during a folk dance.

    (4 marks)

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19. Question 19

    1 mark

    Taarab music and dance, with its Swahili songs, is most associated with which part of Kenya?

    A. the Rift Valley

    B. Western Kenya

    C. Central Kenya

    D. the Coast

    (1 mark)

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20. Question 20

    1 mark

    In many Kenyan folk dances, the dancers' movements must match the:

    A. number of spectators

    B. beat of the drums

    C. colour of the walls

    D. direction of the wind

    (1 mark)

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21. Question 21

    1 mark

    The energetic Isukuti dance, accompanied by drumming, is a traditional folk dance of which Kenyan community?

    A. the Maasai

    B. the Luhya

    C. the Somali

    D. the Turkana

    (1 mark)

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