Lecturer calls for effective teaching of traditional dances in primary schools

Assistant lecturer at the Department of Dance Studies at the University of Ghana, Prof. Godson Atsu Sorkpor has called for the effective teaching of traditional dances in primary schools.

According to Mr. Atsu Sorkpor, Ghanaians are gradually losing interest in traditional dances.

"We are gradually losing it, I won’t say that it is forgone or it is fading.I know in our curriculum, we have creative Arts, let’s make them more appealing. There are even syllables for it.

"Nursery, kindergarten, and fresh students should be taken through the process. These are all options now, let’s bring back the competition between schools, I mean inter dance or something,” he told UniversNews.

Mr. Godson Atsu Sorkpor also explained how Ghanaian culture is communicated through traditional music and dance.

He added that music and dance are very important things that unify Ghanaians.

“We can communicate and talk about our culture through dance. It is an aspect of our culture. When we dance we sing, when we dance, we use musical instruments, so whiles we are performing and singing, we are telling people where we are coming from.

"Some of the songs have meanings, they talk about our history, things that we’ve been through. It talks about love, hate, and a number of vices.

"They are the things that hold us together, our dances speak volumes, when we dance a fictitious dance, it is not to encourage people to sleep with them, it is just to show how men and women show love for each other affectionally.

"That is our culture and I believe we have been able to say a lot with our dance moves,” he said.

The Assistant lecturer also advised Ghanaians to make a conscious effort to prevent the infiltration of the western culture.

Traditional dance is one of the cultures that is patronized very much in Ghana.

All ethnic groups in the country have dances that are performed by members within and outside of their enclave.

Ghanaian dances are done during ceremonies, festivals, recreational activities, work and war especially during the precolonial and colonial eras.

There are different dances performed by the various ethnic groups in Ghana. They include; Adowa, Kete, Bamaya, Bima, Boborbor, Kpalongo, Agbedza, Patsa, Homowo, Gome, Apatampa, and the like.