Inherited Freedom: A Deep Dive into Oloruntoba’s Dance Drama Anthology

Olorunjuwon Oloruntoba’s ten-play collection, Inherited Freedom: Culture in Chains, Freedom in Dance, explores what a body carries forward when everything else is stripped away. Drawing on seven documented Nigerian performance traditions and one Cuban piece, each drama answers this question without repeating its method. Oloruntoba balances dialogue and choreography so neither overshadows the other. He sustains extended silence in Ash on the Wind and weaves myth and contemporary strands in Sango’s Verdict. His rigorous approach to cultural material respects practitioner ownership and distinguishes invention from documentation in key moments. Beyond Nigeria, the anthology’s detailed glossary and citations invite scholars and choreographers to engage with living traditions rather than stage them verbatim. Inherited Freedom offers structural patience, moral complexity, and an authorial signature of restrained irresolution that positions it as a reference for theatre departments and cultural historians worldwide.

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