Why were Tiv dance teams able to adapt successfully to modern stages?

The Tiv dance teams are able to adapt successfully to modern stages primarily because they are already accustomed to performing on a wide variety of social occasions within their village tradition.1

This experience fosters a well-established discipline of rehearsal, which makes the transition to the requirements of a modern stage possible and has yielded spectacular results. Unlike ritual dances, which often lose their vitality when removed from their original cultural context and audience response, the Tiv's organized approach to performance allows them to maintain their effectiveness in new settings. For example, the Swange, a form of urban recreational dance among the Tiv, demonstrates this adaptability by utilizing familiar circle formations while incorporating modern musical influences.12