Creative Infusions
The ensemble has had the privilege of artistic direction by celebrated choreographers.
Prof. Albert Mawere Opoku (1962-1976)
The ground-break work of artist and choreographer A. Mawere Opoku set Ghanaian dance for the formal stage. In his hands the Ghana Dance Ensemble joined with the Ballet Africaine of Guinea bursting with the brilliant energy of nationhood onto the world stage. His world class legacy is elegant, powerful and unifying.
Prof. A. M. Opoku was a multifaced Ghanaian artist known for his role as a choreographer, dancer, printmaker, painter, and educator. Born into an Asante royal family, he received primary and secondary education at Kumasi Government school and Achimota Training College. Encouraged by H. V. Meyerowitz, Opoku pursued Fine Arts and Painting at the Achimota Special Arts Teachers School, followed by studies in London at the Camberwell School of Art and Crafts and the Central School of Art and Crafts. He perfected his skills in Labanotation, Stage Craft and Dance Techniques in New York. In 1962, Prof. Opoku joined the University of Ghana responding to the idea proposed y Ghana’s president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Rex Nettleford to create the Ghana National Dance Company. He played a pivotal role in documenting traditional Dances across the country and under Professor J.H. Kwabena Nketia’s directorship, choreographed dances that became the standard repertoire of the Ghana Dance Ensemble.
Opoku’s contributions extend to designing the University of Ghana’s crest and found the Ghana Dance
Ensemble. His legacy includes over 30 choreographic compositions, such as Fontomfrom, Kpanlogo, Kete Apintim, Tokpey, Tora and Have Etoi (also known as bͻbͻͻbͻ). Prof. Opoku passed away in 2001.
Prof. Francis Nii Yartey (1976-1992)
Learning at the feet of Mawere Opoku, Nii Yartey’s creations exploded in a dynamic kaleidoscope of dance theatre, seeking the meaning of life for the contemporary African. A professor of dance, he interrogates his own heritage and dialogues vigorously with other cultures. Nii Yartey has worked collaboratively from all over the world. Professor Francis Nii Yartey, a distinguished Ghanaian choreographer, dancer, and professor, left an indelible mark on the world of dance and academia during his impactful career.
Prof. Yartey earned his certificate and diploma at the University of Ghana in 1968 and 1971, respectively. Influenced by luminaries such as J.H. Nketia, Efua Sutherland, and Albert Opoku Mawere, he pursued a Master of Arts degree at the University of Illinois, graduating in 1975. In the annals of Ghanaian dance, Prof. Nii Yartey assumed the role of Director/Choreographer of the Ghana Dance Ensemble in 1976, succeeding the esteemed Professor Albert Mawere Opoku. He led the ensemble until 1993 when it transitioned to the National Theatre, subsequently renamed the National Dance Company.
Continuing his commitment to education, Nii Yartey became an Associate Professor at the University of Ghana in 2006. He taught at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, USA, and later at Ashesi University College as an adjunct professor. Eventually, he returned to the University of Ghana’s School of Performing Arts (SPA) as the head of the Department of Dance Studies.
In 2015, he was re-appointed as the Artistic Director of the Ghana Dance Ensemble, a position he held until his passing. His dedication to dance and education continued to shine even in his final appointment. In recognition of his profound contributions to the development of dance in Ghana, Prof. Yartey was awarded the Grand Medal (Civil Division) in 2000. Between 1999 and 2008, Nii Yartey showcased his choreographic prowess in the opening and closing ceremonies of international football tournaments hosted by Ghana, including the prestigious 2008 African Cup of Nations.
Professor Francis Nii Yartey’s legacy lives on in the rhythm of Ghanaian dance and the hearts of those he inspired. His multifaceted contributions as a choreographer, dancer, and educator remain a testament to his enduring impact.
Mr. E. Ampofo Duodu (1993-1997)
Mr. Emmanuel Ampofo Duodu served as the Artistic Director of the Ghana Dance Ensemble from 1993 to 1997. During hhis leadership, he not only reorganized traditional dances, provided them with new names, but also crafted original choreographic pieces. In addition to contributing his own creations, he evaluated and refined existing choreography within the ensemble. Noteworthy among his classic choreographic works are Ayaresa, Nsrabor (The Drill) and the Slave Trade.
Mr. Ampofo Duodu was one of the founding members of the Ghana Dance Ensemble. He was a trailblazer of the School of Music and Drama, underwent training under the guidance of Professor Mawere Opoku and J. H. Kwabena Nketia. Prior to assuming the role at GDE, he conducted research projects encompassing the documentation of Akan customary behaviour such as attitudes, postures, emotional expressions, acting techniques in storytelling, acting styles in rituals, libations, and distinctive movements mannerisms in emotional situations. Additionally, his research delved into the geographic influence on the utilization of costume, makeup, and artefacts.
Mr. Ampofo Duodu retired and handed over the position of Artistic Directorship of the GDE to Mr. Nii Kwei Sowah in 1997.
Mr. Oh! Nii Kwei Sowah (1997-2002)
Mr. Nii Kwei Sowah is a retired lecturer and former head of the Department of Dance Studies at the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. His illustrious career in academic spans several years, marking a significant chapter in the institution’s legacy.
Having dedicated his expertise to the realm of dance, Mr. Sowah holds a distinguished Master of Arts degree in Dance from the University of California, Irvine. This advanced degree not only underscores his commitment to academic excellence, but also highlights his international exposure and engagement with the global dance community.
In the late 1990s, Mr. Sowah assumed pivotal roles as the Artistic Director of Abibigromma, the University of Ghana’s Resident Theatre Company, from 1997 to 1999. During this period, he played a crucial role in shaping the artistic landscape of the University of the university, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and theatrical fabric.
Simultaneously, he took on the responsibility of steering the artistic vision of the Ghana Dance Ensemble from 1997 to 2002. As the Artistic Director, Mr. Sowah contributed significantly to the growth and prominence of the ensemble, solidifying its position as a beacon of cultural expression both nationally and internationally.
Mr. Nii Kwei Sowah is not only a contributor to institutional success, but also a visionary leader in 1987, he founded the Performing Arts Workshop (PAWS), where he served as the founding Executive Artistic Director. This initiative reflects his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to fostering the development of performing arts outside the traditional academic setting.
Dr. Benjamin Obido Ayettey (2002-2015)
From star performer of the Ghana Dance Ensemble, Ben Ayettey has the delicate duty of re-presenting the classic set pieces and creating his own dance dramas which directly address immediate issues in contemporary Ghanaian society. He also developed the teaching programmes of the Ensemble working with the International Students Programmes and the Dance Department of the School of Performing Arts Legon.
Dr. Benjamin Obido Ayettey joined the Ghana Dance Ensemble as an Apprentice Dancer. Due to his hard work, he raised through the ranks to Senior Dance Demonstrator. He gained admission into the School of Performing Arts in 1988. He received his Diploma in Dance (Theatre Arts) in 1991 and Master of Fine Arts in Dance (MFA) degree in 1997 at the Arizona State University, Tempe in the United States of America. He specialized in choreography and performance. He was appointed a Fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana because of his experience and membership of the Ghana Dance Ensemble, he was attached to the Ghana Dance Ensemble. He has published a couple of articles in some Ghanaian, African and Western journals. He taught at the School of Performing Arts Department of Dance Studies for ten years (10 years) from 2008 to 2018. He was appointed Artistic Director of the Ghana Dance Ensemble from 2002 to 2015. He had a Fulbright Scholarship in Residence at the Ohio Northern University in the United States of America from 2015 – 2016. Dr. Ayettey is an international choreographer, has choreographed several pieces both in Ghana and outside Ghana. Is background as a scholar and choreographer has won him several invitations to adjudicate in dance, beauty and talent reality show contests on national television. He has been the assistant choreographer in the Confederation of African Nations (CAN) 2008 Football tournament opening ceremony dance, African Hockey several choreographies for pageants such as Miss Malaika, Ghana’s Most Beautiful and Miss Ghana, Miss Sarbah, Miss Legon and many others.
Dr. Moses Nii – Dortey (2015 - 2019)
Dr. Moses Nii-Dortey, (PhD Ethnomusicology and African Studies), is a Snr. Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Music & Dance Section of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. Between October 2015 and 2019, he served as the acting Artistic Director of the Ghana Dance Ensemble (GDE). Nii-Dortey was a recipient of the African Presidential Fellowship, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (2009), and the AHP Fellowship with residency at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, (2011-2012). Nii-Dortey has published on Arts Research in Africa, Folk Opera Development in Ghana, Traditional Festivals as Integrated Performances, the Ghana National Symphony Orchestra, and Challenges of pre-tertiary Music Education in Ghana among others. In the last 20 years, Nii Dortey has also been involved in applied ethnomusicological initiatives to safeguard Saka Acquaye’s endangered folk operatic tradition which he pioneered in the 1960s, and the effort has produced two staged renditions of The Lost Fishermen, in 2007 and 2011, a documentary titled Reminisces of the Wulomei, and a film Adaptation of ‘The Lost Fishermen’ folk opera in 2023.
Dr. Aristedes Narh Hargoe (2019-)
From a child artist, through a student of the Department of Dance Studies, School of Performing Arts to a faculty, at the University of Ghana, Aristedes Narh Hargoe’s (PhD) passion for dance and choreography has seen no barrier. Dr. Narh Hargoe is the current Artistic Director of the Ghana Dance Ensemble of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana Legon. He was appointed and took office on April 1, 2019, after having worked with the ensemble for gratis for a period of six months. His duty as the Artistic Director has been to restructure, rebrand and refocus the Ensemble to reflect contemporary exigencies. Dr. Hargoe is also a lecturer at the Department of Dance Studies, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon and has won a fellowship as a University of Michigan African Presidential Scholar (UMAPS) Fall 2022 cohort.
He holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Cape Coast, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees from the University of Ghana. His research interest lies within the domain of Dance Ethnography, Dance Aesthetics, Performance Studies, and Semiotics. He is also interested Dance Therapy. Dr. Hargoe has extensive experience working with children with special needs (children living with hearing impairment and autism).
He also has a decade of experience teaching children La Four Prima and Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Ballet syllabus at the Pippa’s Health Center, a private Ballet Dance Academy in Ghana. He has also worked with African Women’s Development fund (AWDF) on their Dance and Wellness program.
His recent choreographies with the Ensemble include “Aze Yilo” (is it witchcraft? - May 2022), Obaasima (The ideal woman) Oct. 2021, Ajenuloo (Riddles - May 2019), and Tabiloi (Warriors - Feb. 2019), Assistant Choreographer for First African Paralympic Games opening ceremony Sept. 2023, Co-choreographer 7th University Basic Schools Sports Association Games (UBaSSA) May 2023, and Assistant choreographer GUSA Games opening and closing ceremonies Jan. 2020 among others.