Alegria
Sabar

Senegal (Wolof), 14th century

SABAR

Senegal's warrior rhythm

Sabar is a family of Wolof rhythms, drums, and dances from Senegal, whose history goes back to the Jolof Empire (14th century). It was originally a warrior dance, performed before battles or to celebrate victories, with coded rhythms that also served as a means of long-distance communication between villages.

Today, Sabar is inseparable from major Senegalese celebrations — weddings, baptisms, tannibéer (women's evenings). It's an explosive, very fast dance, in which women lift their wraps and compete in virtuosity to the drum strikes. Today's leading figures — Doudou Ndiaye Rose, his daughter Astou Ndiaye — have exported it to international stages.

How it's danced

Technique & figures

Sabar is danced to the strikes of sabar drums, an ensemble of four to seven drums played by hand and stick, at very high tempos (150-200 BPM and above). The movements are explosive, with high jumps, kicks, and rapid leg and arm projections. The torso stays upright, the gaze proud.

Styles and fundamentals

Each sabar rhythm (Ceebu Jën, Farwu Jaar, Tuus, Kaolack) has an associated dance, with a codified vocabulary. Women lift their wraps ("the lift" is an art in itself) to reveal their legs, a symbol of energy and pride. The dance is individual, performed at the center of the circle formed by the community.

Main figures

  • 01

    Ventilateur

    Legs alternately rising very high to the side, in an ultra-rapid motion. A signature of the style.

  • 02

    Farwu Jaar

    An explosive step with a forward pelvic thrust and alternating leg lifts, associated with the rhythm of the same name.

  • 03

    Ceebu Jën

    A more measured dance, performed at the start of the performance to establish the rhythm.

  • 04

    Baar

    Arms opening and rapid fan-like leg throws, very visual.

  • 05

    Lifting the wrap

    An emblematic gesture: the dancer lifts her wrap to hip height or higher, exposing her legs in action.

Reading the music

Sabar as a drum ensemble (Nder, Mbëng-mbëng, Talmbat, Tungoné, Lamb). Doudou Ndiaye Rose, the legendary tambour-major, preserved and passed on these rhythms. Modern mbalax music (Youssou N'Dour), also danced to at parties.

Did you know?

Doudou Ndiaye Rose

N° 01

Doudou Ndiaye Rose (1930-2015), Senegalese tambour-major, performed with Miles Davis, the Rolling Stones, and Peter Gabriel. He was designated a Living Human Treasure by UNESCO.

Tannibéer

N° 02

Tannibéer are Sabar dance evenings reserved for women, where they compete solo at the center of the circle. A moment of total expression.

Explore the rhythms

Same family

Rythmes Africains

Cross connections

Styles from other families that share a common language with Sabar.