Both the Adowa and Kete dances are distinguished by their charming walking movements and complex footwork; as well as gestures of the hand and delicate bending and twisting of the body.
•Adowa dance is performed gloriously and in a decorum way while kete is performed vigorously and with high energy because it’s a war dance.
•Adowa can be performed wearing Ahenema but kete is performed barefooted.
•Adowa is mostly reserved for women while kete is performed by both men and women.
•Kete is performed with the permission of a chief while Adowa can be performed at any time, anywhere.
•Adowa is danced with a handkerchief while kete is never performed with a handkerchief.
•The performance of Adowa begins with a chain of Adowa songs without instrumental accompaniment. Mostly, Adowa is performed with Nwomkro songs. The lead singer introduces songs as a warm-up before drumming sets in while in the performance of kete a song is always sung to precede the drumming and immediately after the drums come in, the singing stops. At other times, no songs accompany the drum.
Both dances can be performed at different occasions, funerals, festivals, puberty rites, and marriage ceremonies among other celebrations.
