Dance. Dance was an important part of West Africans' social lives and was sometimes invested with the mystery and drama of the realm where matter and spirit meet. The people of the windward coast of West Africa (the area now occupied by the modern states of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia) expressed their religious feelings in music and dancing. The Dogon, an especially proud and independent people, were well known for their dancing. West Africans often incorporated traditional, non-Muslim ritual dances into Islamic religious celebrations. During his 1353 visit to Mali, Ibn Battuta described such a performance by masked dancers during an Islamic festival.

Music. In the royal courts of the West African empires, music was almost a constant element. During ceremonies in Mali, singers carrying golden and silver lutes preceded the ruler, who was followed by three hundred armed slaves. Court...