DENNADON

This song was used to introduce the Mendiani dancers. The Mendiani girls prepared themselves for a performance in a special hut set apart from the dancing area. When they are ready, they emerge from the house, and are immediately picked up and placed on the shoulders of a man (one girl to each porter). The men then run to the village square (the performance area, where everyone is gathered.) They enter with the girls dancing on their shoulders and heads, and make a tour of the circle, showing the girls to all in attendance. Dennadon is the song played throughout the girls' entrance. After they play this song, the girls descend to the ground, greet the elders and notable personages in attendance, sing the Mendiani song, then dance Mendiani.

Rhythm is from NE Guinea (and also bordering western Mali). It MAY exist in Burkina Faso, But Mamady hasn't seen it.

Timeline 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
break    tt  t t   t   t t   s s s
dj #1    S . . b T . t . S s . b T . t . S s . b T . t . S s . b T . t .

(measure one only at head; measure two repeats)

dj #2    S . . s S . T t S . . s S . T t
Sangba   . . . c . . c . . . o o . . o .
S. Bell  x . x x . x x . x . x x . x x .
                             ^ (pattern picks up on break measure here)
         1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
Kenkeni  o . . . o . . . o . . . o . . .
         x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x .
Dununba  o o . . . . . . o . o . . . . .
         x x . x x . x . x . x . x . x .

(these parts begin after the break)