In the traditional presentation, we have the following outstanding features: the front captain Kam, the rear captain Kam ebam, pace setter Kenfiybin, front virgin Ngon embiy, middle virgin ngon feteten, rear virgin Ngon ebam, the running juju or police Nkie. There are other figurines like the noble Fo’oche, and many others representing animals in the wild and spirits. 

The role of the Kam is to introduce and change dance styles, decides the duration of the styles and the dance as a whole. He is assisted by the rear captain Kam ebam. The virgin is full of pride and dances more than others. The pace setter Kenfiybin picks up the style after the Kam before any other juju in the line. The Nkie polices the crowd and all the jujus in the line. It can act as Kam when need arises. The Fo’oche which is the noble dances in a gentle manner; it is respected by all the jujus in the line. The traditional ballet follows a mono-tone. The styles are done in a line or circle. 

The modern ballet

All the above mentioned features are represented in the modern ballet dance. The only difference here is that the role of the Kam dominates. He introduces the styles and is the pace setter at the same time. Since choreography is intricately related, all the jujus have to pick up any style at once. The dancing styles are done in the following forms: line, circle, triangle, rectangle, letters V and H shapes. The virgin has to perform exactly as the other jujus in the line. In the modern ballet, the musicians and the dancers follow the same pattern. What is very peculiar with the Oku dance as a whole is that the dancers follow the music and respond by producing their own music with the feet. A combination of this leads to rhythm climax which is well appreciated by onlookers.  The modern ballet follows more than thirty different songs that are changed almost automatically during the course of the dance.  read more