juba

A traditional African American percussive dance, also called 'Pattin' Juba,' in which rhythmic patterns are created by slapping the thighs, chest, and hands. The juba rhythm — a driving syncopated duple pattern — is a direct ancestor of ragtime and a defining characteristic of Florence Price's piano dance writing.

In Price's dance pieces, the juba-derived rhythms in the left hand should feel physical and grounded. Keep the syncopations crisp and avoid smoothing them into swing. The rhythm is the primary content — never let elaborate right-hand figuration obscure the rhythmic drive beneath.