Department of Dance Studies
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Item Dance and The Anglican Faith: Rethinking Ghanaian Neo- Traditional Dances For Church Ministration(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Bannerman, B.K.This research aims at incorporating some Ghanaian neo-traditional and contemporary dance forms such as Agbadza, Adowa and Apatampa into the liturgy of St. Monica Anglican Church, Accra. While different dance styles resembling Ghanaian traditional dances have penetrated church services, few studies exists to reveal how these dance forms have been fused into church services. I define Ghanaian neo-traditional dances as those removed from their original setting for aesthetic, entertainment and education purposes. This research explores the role of some Ghanaian Neo-traditional dance forms in the Anglican Church using St. Monica Parish as the case study. Some of these above mentioned dance forms have rhythmic patterns that have been integrated into church chord music resulting to the acceptance in the Church. I applied a context base approach to study the culture of the Anglican Church since dance and music serve as tools for communicating with God. This study is based on Kierkegaard‟s theory of existentialism, giving congregants the freedom to express themselves to enhance the worship experience. The research approach is qualitative, employing ethnography as its paradigm. The research resolves the question of the incorporation of Ghanaian Neo-traditional dances into the church. As part of the research, a choreography presentation spoke to the need for integrating movement aspects into the church. Therefore, the research is important as it strives to present Ghanaian Neo-traditional dance style in a positive light, as vital as the survival of indigenous culture and a constructive contribution to an entrenched Ghanaian cultural identity. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.ghItem Branding and Packaging in the Commercialization of Ghanaian Traditional Dances(University Of Ghana, 2018-07) Akuka, R.A.Commercialization of dance has become an integral part of the evolving creative industry in Ghana. Commodification of Ghanaian traditional dance as a “product” significantly needs to be branded and packaged in a manner that makes it a commercially viable venture. Framed within attractive quality and sociological aesthetic theories, this study seeks find out why Ghanaian Dance industry has been unattractive and to explore how Ghanaian traditional dances are branded and packaged by both professional and amateur dance companies and to highlight the commercial value of the Arts specifically dance. It mostly adopts a qualitative mode of investigation within a multidisciplinary framework that sees dance as both a cultural form and a stage art. The thesis recommends a frame work of the Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action model as a tool for commercialization and the adoption of vertical organizational structure alongside with some marketing activities that could enhance traditional dance brands to be more commercially viable.Item Fumɛfumɛ: Creating a New Dance Form from Traditional Dances(2016-01-22) Sokpor, G. A.; Nii-Yartey, F.; Newman, S. A.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Performing Arts, Department of Dance StudiesDance in many cultures is performed as a form of arousing emotions, social communication, and spiritual fulfillment. Traditional dances are mostly associated with indigenous people of a particular ethnic group. Therefore, any art form emanating from the indigenes is perhaps likely to be termed traditional. Members of similar community sometimes create new dance forms within the framework of existing dances. A typical example is the Fumɛfumɛ dance created in the late 1960s. The study seeks to establish how a new dance form was created from some traditional dances. It will also bring to the fore the importance of Ga-Dangme traditional dances from which movements were selected to create the Fumɛfumɛ dance, create a choreographic piece based on the philosophy and mystery behind the Fumɛfumɛ dance, and also try to sustain the practice and appreciation of Ghanaian traditional dances through the chronicling of the history behind the creation of the Fumɛfumɛ dance. In this research, certain questions were raised as to which ethnic group created the Fumɛfumɛ dance, how a new dance form can be created without completely ignoring the elements that influenced them, how can the myth and philosophy behind the creation of Fumɛfumɛ be put into a choreographic piece among others. The researcher will attend, observe, and interview the two families (Addy and Oku we) all of Atukpai in Ga mashie who are claiming ownership of the Fumɛfumɛ dance. This will be accomplished through ethical research and techniques of gathering data as qualitative approach, population, sample and sampling technique, research design and finally design research instruments. The researcher expects to find out which family created the Fumɛfumɛ dance. This research will help ethnographers, lecturers, dance students and others get adequate information on the Fumɛfumɛ dance and unravel the myths behind the name, decode some of the movements and understand,examine,decode as well the African philosophy surrounding the creation of the Fumɛfumɛ dance.