The vodou life is integrated into dance. Dance allows voduists to mediate with the body and connect to various spiritual nations. Each specific movement characterizes a spirit nation. For example, the dance that is attributed to Aradas resembles the movements of a serpent because the serpent represents the Rada nation’s centerpiece of rites.

The Vodou song also plays an important role in influencing the dance. Vodou songs all have a call-and-response structure. A soloists sends the song while the chorus answers with the same melody. Along with the singers, the sound of vodou drumming provides fuel to the dance. The drumming often conflict with the its own rhythm because each vodou rhythm generates its own antirhythm called a kase. Kase plays a role in destabilizing the dancer and thus, possessing them. The theory of vodou possession revolves around the Iwa. The Iwa is our own unique spirit that resides in our head. The spirit may speak to someone during sleep in the form of dreams and it can arise from vodou dance. The sounds of the drums, the movements, and the song can rouse the spirit in the head to dance. When this happens the spirit consumes the hosts consciousness and this leads to possession.

Throughout 200 years the vodou dance has been altered from traditional to modern stage dancing. In the beginning, when vodou dancing was considered a new phenomenon to people around the world, it was depicted without any cultural significance. The racist depiction of vodou in films and literature caused many Haitian individuals to step up and defend their culture. Vodou was associated with Haitian savagery and superstition. This depiction of vodou was a result of the United States invasion and 19 year occupation of Haiti. During this time many journalists has written novels on how North Americans had to come rescue Haitians from vodou. North Americans had their own view on vodou and shared it with the world. In reality, actual vodou has little to no resemblance. That is why today when we think of vodou the image of black magic and curses come to mind.

The film The Other Side of the Water, shares a similar aspect to the article on vodou. This film introduced rara, a form of music Haitians play in large groups while marching down the street. One particular member stayed away from rara because his mother believed that rara had satanic characteristics. Rara was popular back in Haiti as a form of coming together of the Haitian people. In Brooklyn, one man decided to bring rara back. He started the first rara by playing music and in doing so many other Haitian immigrants joined. There has been some conflict, however, because the older immigrants believed that rara was a spontaneous act where random people would just join by playing any instrument. The younger immigrants viewed rara as an event where only selected members could play and they had to attend rehearsal. Nonetheless, rara similar to vodou, has changed when it was brought to America. Rara is still a form of music that unites all the Haitian people.