DANCES
Adzogbo
Adzogbo, a war dance from the Republic of Benin (Dahomey) has two main parts. The first, Kadodo, is performed mainly by women as a curtain raiser. Its elegant, graceful and charming arm gestures contrast with the taps and hops of the leading foot.
Atsia the second part, is a series of dances in which the men show their agility, toughness and virtuosity. Some movements performed are motifs from the arms drill of the French colonial soldiers including leaping over the wooden horse, wrestling and boxing. It is performed by strong able men who respond to the energetic demands of the vigorous music. Formerly a war dance, it has now been adapted as a social or recreational dance.
Akan Ceremonial Dance Suite
The ceremonial life of Akan communities is rich and eventful. The Akan Ceremonial Suite was created by Mawere Opoku to ‘re-present’ the spectacular gathering of royalty and the people in a display of mutual interdependency through the symbolism of the arts typically seen during festivals such as the Adae. The piece depicts the King and the Queen in their resplendent ceremonial attire accompanied by their courtiers carrying the paraphernalia of office and other officials of the court. Their graceful, powerful movements interpret with dignity their mandate for leadership while community envelopes them in euphoric acceptance.
Akom
A suite of classic religious dances, Akom evokes the traditional spirituality of the Akan people. These sublime dances are mainly as a means of releasing priests from trances into which they must fall in order to act as mediums. The popular notion that priests dance themselves into a trance is false. However, the rhythm of this dance is such that it has been known to have diverse effects on adherents and onlookers. After an act of healing, the priest walks around greeting people and dispersing powdered clay in the same manner that Christian priest use holy water. S/he acknowledges God who is the spirit of the earth, the source of physical strength and material well-being. He also acknowledges the ‘four winds’ which carry to him/her the words of God. The dances are organized sequentially. They begin with the Ntwaho circling in a series of pivot turns to illustrate the perfection, wholeness and oneness of God.
Then follows Adaban (i) a retreating and advancing movement of great power and fascination, combined with spins and turns in the air. Some of the dance motifs are versions of secular and popular dances. This is one dance in which the dancer is observably in control of the changes in musical rhythm. Akom is traditional to the Akan and the Ga people.
Asafo
Akan communities of Ghana ensured their security through people’s militia groups. Today these militias serve a social role, mobilizing members of the community to remember their heroic past, engage in communal work. In its original manifestation, Asafo was a warrior dance which led armies into battle. It is made up of both fast paced group regimental movements and displays of individual prowess. Asafo dance is inspired by a rhythm and powerful songs whose lyrics drive away fear and fill the fighters with only one desire which is to fight for their motherland. It is danced also in jubilation after the fight. A special feature of Asafo is the flag-bearer who embodies the soul of the group and excuses exquisites and agile steps assisted by his attendants.
Asante Adowa
Asante legend has it that the dance originated from antelope movements hence the name Adowa. These were not the movements of an ordinary antelope for; there was once a queen mother in Asante called Berea Tutuwa who fell ill and when the gods were consulted, they requested a live antelope as sacrifice. The Asafo warriors promptly set out into the forest and what they brought back was no ordinary animal. The people saw to their amazement the antelope jumping and making very strange movements. After the queen mother was cured, the women, in an attempt to imitate the movement of the antelope in jubilation, started the Adowa dance.
It therefore became a women’s performance in several Akan communities. Adowa music and dance filled with moving lyrics and gestures draw in the bereaved to express themselves, providing solace for them during funerals in Akan communities. The Adowa dance however, is a remarkably flexible dance and has been transformed into a recreational dance for both sexes. The Ghana Dance Ensemble presents the classical, delicate Adowa steps in a joyous mood.
Atsiagbekor
War has for centuries defined the status and aspirations of societies and individuals. From the Volta Region, we present the Atsiagbekor dance of the Anlo people. It is a medley of dances performed after a successful battle to demonstrate to people at home symbolic movements of the battle field. To watch Atsiagbekor is to watch scenes which have made their original forms in these battles fought long ago. The dance is made up of choreographed inventions based on the regimental movements. These are serious expressions of prowess, suffering and hardship by a people who once fought battles through hostile territory in search of peace. Atsea like the Twi Akyea, means to ‘show off’ or to “strut your stuff”. The dancers tend to show off with their movements which display agility, strength and pride. The Ghana Dance Ensemble presents it in a slow and fast format.
Atsia (Togo)
The magic of Atsia lies in the precision of its movements. This dance is choreographed for women and features dexterous, movements with horsetail whisks. Atsia is a powerful dance which is nevertheless executed with fine, delicate movements.
Ayika
This is a recreational dance of the people of Greater Accra Region. This dance is believed to have been created by a woman, who paid the debts of her sister after several demands. She was able to redeem her sister’s debts only after the fishermen had made a big catch from which she drew her profits. The various stances are to illustrate the incessant demands on her.
Bamaya
Bamaya is a popular social dance of the people of Dagbon in Northern Ghana whose dances are marked by dignity, gracefulness and controlled gaiety in expressive dance movements. It stands out because it features cross-dressing. Men in female costumes today poke fun at the women in the society with their exaggerated make up and gestures.
Oral traditions however have it that Bamaya was originally a religious dance in the honour of the Earth god - Tingban of the area. It is alleged that the dance evolved as a result of the people’s search for water which eluded them for a very long period. In the early 19th century, a great famine occurred in Dagbon as a result of a severe drought. All sacrifices made by the rain makers to their god proved futile. Yet there was an answer. It lay in the long-neglected knowledge that prayers by women to the Tingban got a quicker response. To avert a great calamity, the young and strong men in the village dressed in women’s clothing marched to the head priest drumming, and requested to accompanied to the abode of their god. The (wo)men vigorously danced several times around the grove, the god was touched by their plight and sent down a heavy rainfall. The people’s gratitude and joy expressed for having the rains brought the name Bamaya meaning “The river (valley) is cold (wet)”. The Ghana Dance Ensemble translates onto the stage this brilliant example of isolated hip gyration mastered by many African societies. The quirky costuming is ever contemporized with new accessories.
Bawaa
The Dagarti people make their home in the Upper East Region. They have been masterful cultivators of grain for centuries and have traditionally acknowledged the gods of the land for their role in their agricultural fortunes. Bawaa is thus a series of harvest dances which provide the final phase of enjoyment in tribute to community wellbeing. Both old and young of both sexes participate in these dances. The seasonal dance session is preceded by the pouring of libation to the gods and ancestors for providing a rich harvest. The master drummer holds the key. A special quality of these dances is that cues for the many variations are given by the master drummer. Vibrating with energy, the circle of dancers surges forward into an optimistic future.
Bͻbͻͻbͻ
Bͻbͻͻbͻ is a contemporary social dance created by the youth of the Volta Region of Ghana and performed by both sexes. It is an exuberant, choreographed group dance in which dancers pride themselves for their endless permutations of movements complemented by the dexterous twirling of handkerchiefs. The deep, pulsating rhythm of the master drum directs the dance which peaks with the sound of the bugle, Bͻbͻͻbͻ has been adopted by churches in the Volta Region and therefore mostly accompanied by Christian songs.
Damba Takai
The people of Dagbon, now in the Northern Region, belong to the imperial tradition with an elaborate culture at court. The Ghana Dance Ensemble has put together a series of dignified and classic Dagbon court dances. The dance suite is accompanied by donno and brekete drums.
Damba and Takai are essentially dances for princes which are enhanced by calculated activation of graceful flowing Batakari smocks through pivot turns and torso swings accompanied by stamping of handsomely booted feet. A festival dance of the people of Dagbon, the Damba is for the royals and elders, while the Takai variations can be performed by the citizenry.
Tora
The women of Dagbon, not wanting to be left out invented their dance movements to the stirring rhythms of the court dance, Takai. This recreational dance was originally danced before the chief by his wives to entertain him. Tora is now a popular social dance for women in the Northern Region of Ghana.
Fontomfrom
It is a series of warrior dances which form a suite for showing the prowess of a valiant fighter and uses, in its many forms, symbolic gestures to mime combat motifs. It is an Akan court dance. The Akantam, The pledge for instance, is danced to seventy-seven proverbs or maxims played on the drums. It is a processional dance of the civil guard. Fontonfrom is a dance of victory, harassment and achievement on the field. It is a dance of victory which narrates the return of the warriors during celebrations in which the assert their supremacy.
Gahu
The origins of Gahu are intriguing as the dance comes to Ghana from Nigeria via Benin, Gahu originated from the Yoruba of Nigeria. It is spontaneous and gay. The Dance derives its name Gahu from the Fon language of Benin literally meaning “money dance.” “Ga” means money or very important personality and “Hu” refers to drum or musical type. The dance is flexible, light hearted and is shared between couples. There is a studied coyness as the girl moves away from the advance of her partner. Executed in a circle it is also communal and delightfully flirtatious.
Gota
Gota is a cult dance from the Republic of Benin. This dance is used mainly as a means of expressing gratitude to the cult after one has undergone an ordeal in order to show and justify the power of the cult. Gota has been absorbed into the Ewe tradi9tion of south eastern Ghana and is performed by both men and women.
Kete
Kete has always been a court dance for chiefs “Amanhene” “Abrempon” and members of the royal household. It is, and has always been, the favorite of the Asantehenes over the ages. This dance is noted for its courtliness and for the contrasts between the graceful movements of the women and the strutting display of masculinity by the male dancers. The full Kete includes Kete drums, voices and odurugya flutes. In Asante land, the full Kete is only performed for the Asantehene’s private entertainment in the palace, where the Asantehene acts as orchestral leader, keeping time with the red covered rattle, which he uses as he dances with his wives. When dancing with the Queen mother, he guards her with a gun. The performance presented in the repertoire includes the full Kete adapted for the theatre. We also presented the more socially accessible version of Kete which is now widely performed on important social occasions and at funerals.
Kolomashie
Kolomashie music and dance are a testimony to early influences of popular Western European Culture on the Ga people of Ghana. It started as a youth game for only males who were trying to imitate the “Whiteman’s” way of life. It has now become a social dance performed at gatherings to provide light entertainment. Highlife music and dance as these evolved in the middle of the 20th century owe a lot to Kolomashie.
Kpanlogo
Kpanlogo is a dance of the 1960s, born with Ghana’s independence. It is believed that the basic movements of the dance are derived from the leisure dances of a group of Liberian fishermen staying in a section of Jamestown, Accra, known as “Kru Town”, as well as from religious dances like Kple. Kpanlogo is a vivacious urban dance explosion.
It is rich in mime and theatrical expressions with sexual undertones and gives scope for both comic and serious interpretations. It is part of the neo-traditional performance culture of the Ga but has gained national popularity.
Kpatsa
The Dangme are said to have learned Kpatsa from the haunting music and dance of dwarfs. Kpatsa is said to be associated with the limping gait peculiar to dwarfs. The name of the dance itself evokes this uneven walk. Kpatsa is a recreational dance performed by both men and women. It can also be seen at festivals such as the Asafotu Fiam in Big Ada; during the durbar of chiefs and funerals. The dance is fast becoming the major traditional recreational music of the Dangme.
Kple
The Wͻyei, priestesses of the shrines of the Ga people of Greater Accra, speaking ancient tongues and chant the migrations of their people. The haunting chants of Kple are accompanied by the unmistakable rhythm of the dance of the gods, for Wͻyei are chosen mediums of the gods and must be ready interpreters of their messages. “it is Homowo – the festival upon which we hoot at the hunger of our past. Mothers of the shrine, dance Kple for us and call down blessings on us, for the future is unknown!”
This ancient Ga-Dangme dance from South Eastern Ghana reminds us of the fact that the Ga Dangme society was governed by a theocracy. Kple songs and dance hold texts which embody the historical, cultural and religious heritage. Dancers of Kple are priestesses whose entire beings are put at the disposal of the invisible gods as they seek a physical medium through which to communicate with society. Movements are graceful and dramatic, with an other-worldly aura mimicking personalities which the gods wish to depict. As a religious dance, it is done very selectively on important occasions such as the annual Homowo festival of the Ga people.
Kundum
This is a dance which expresses the spirit and sentiments of the Nzema and Ahanta people during people during the Kundum festival in the Western Region of Ghana. In character, the Kundum is a warrior’s dance. While the men dance to express bravery, prowess, endurance and determination, the women inspire and hail them as conquerors. As a Harvest Festival Dance, it also expresses thankfulness for the symbolic rebirth of the earth and for its fruits. Kundum is a mass dance whose fascination lies in the harmonies achieved by synchronization of powerful movements and its use of plantain leaves, raffia and bamboo as props and as part of the costume.
Lobi Dance Suite
These dances are adapted from working song and movement of the Lobi (Upper West Region) to express their love for communal labour. Houses are built communally and this provides an opportunity for the Bobina dance, performed by two girls with a chorus. Then follows the Sebire, a dance for young men, characterized by infectious abandonment, energy, manliness, dignity and fascinating rhythms. A tremolo of fast contraction and release is the special technique of the Lobi dances. Dynamism, dignity and controlled inner strength was used in the past to frighten enemies.
Nagla
Nagla dances were originally performed at funerals, but today, even though they still maintain this role, they are danced on all important occasions by the people of Paga in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The movements of the dance reflect the spirit of togetherness which the people aspire to and remind one of the supple movements of the sacred crocodile.
Sanga
Sanga was a popular Asante dance early in the mid-1900s. The drums and their rhythmic patterns suggest Northern Ghanaian origins. Women dancers wear bustles to attract the gallant young men who engage in exaggerated advances. This is a naughty, humorous dance similar to the Can Can. The arrangements presented here emphasize the humour and artifice of the dance.
Sikyi
Developed in the 1920s, Sikyi an infectiously joyful dance, is a special choice from the Ashanti Region. Carefully costumed to reflect the period of its heyday, the dance portrays innocent and playful flirtation between boys and girls. Its movements include strutting, bobbing up and down and a display of theatrical elegance. Sikyi has inspired great highlife artists of Ghana, and its influence still draws highlife lovers to dance floor.
Sebire
A tremolo of fast contraction and release is the special technique of the Lobi dances. Dynamism, dignity and controlled inner strength are characteristics of the Sebire dance. The tremor in the upper body implying restrained power and strength was used in the past to frighten enemies.