Final answer:
African influences on American dance include imitating animal movement, performing to a constant rhythm, and centered movement stemming from the hips, found in traditions like gumboot dancing and Steppin'.
Step-by-step explanation:
Africans contributed significantly to the characteristics of dance in America. Characteristics like imitating animal movement, performing to a constant rhythm, and using a centered movement that explodes outwards from the hips are essential features inspired by African dance traditions. These characteristics mirror the historical and cultural elements inherent in African diasporic forms of expression, such as the South African gumboot dancing and African American Steppin'. These dance forms, which came into existence under challenging and discriminatory circumstances, have not only served as forms of communication and solidarity but have also helped to shape the cultural identities and memories of various ethnic and racial groups. Transcending cultural barriers, gumboot dancing and Steppin' carry a tradition of merging spirituality, rhythms, and movements to create something deeply symbolic and unifying.