NAME: AFIA BEMMA BONSU

INDEX NUMBER: 10300765

A dance critic on a dance performed by the Ghana dance ensemble on the 5th of may 2011 at the
dance studio in university of Ghana. They performed the Gahu dance, the Adowa dance and a
dance called Liebe which means turning around. The set on the stage was blue.

The Gahu dance was performed first with 12 individuals, 6 women and 6 men. They came along
with 7 drummers, two played the master drums called atsimevu and gboba, another two played
the supporting drums called kidi and sogo, another played the smallest supporting drum called
Kagan, another two played the Gankogui (double bell) and the Axatse (rattle). The dance was
performed in a circular form. The dancers came in with a straight line singing a Gahu dance
song. The drummers sat on a bench and in front of them stand the dancers in circular form. The
women were wearing a white top with a blue wrapper called IRO and BUBA with a scarf tied
around their heads and the men wearing the Agbada. They danced with energy, flexibility and
light-heartedly. The dancers changed their steps according to the gankogui (double bell) which is
the time keeper. The dancers did not only listen accurately to the rhythm of the instrument but
also kept on a good facial expression as they danced.

The Adowa dance was performed next. It was a solo performance meaning it was performed by
an individual, a woman to be precise with six drummers, one played the atumpan which is the
master drum, three played the mpetia, apentima and the don do which are all supporting drums,
the remaining two individuals played the ntrowa and dawuro which is the bell and the time
keeper respectively. The dancer was wearing a kente cloth wrapped around the body from the
chest to the knee with another cloth thrown over from the left shoulder to the back leaving one
end of the cloth hanging and beads worn on the neck, ankles, wrists and arms. The dancer danced
with attitude and energy. She also did not only listen accurately to the rhythm of the instrument
but kept on a good facial expression. The dancer made a lot of graceful movements, footwork’s
and hand gestures all meant to communicate with the audience and the drummers. The changes
in style of drumming frequently reflect with the mood of the performance. Various parts of her
body picked specific rhythms from particular drums for motivation. She made turns, spins and
bows. The dancer later removed the cloth thrown over from the left shoulder to the back and
danced with the cloth wrapped around her body from the chest to the shoulder.

Another performance was the female drummers. It was performed by six females with two at the
back, one on each side, two in the middle and two in front one on each side. The drums were all
master drums and very big in size. They played the drums with energy, sang and made body
movements along while standing. There were supporting drums played by males who were also
seated at the side of the stage. They played with a good facial expression

The Liebe dance continued. Liebe meaning turning around. A dance directed by Mr. Ben Ayitey.
The dance was on a story about angels who lived in heaven who were tired of the way of living
in heaven so they decided to come to earth to enjoy the things on earth but later realized that it
was not fun and wanted to go back. On their return they left an angel on earth because of his love
for worldly things and also under the influence of a woman to stay. The dance started with seven
dancers, four females and three males with three females and two males at the back, one male
and one female in front at the left side of the stage. Later one male came to join. All dancers
were wearing white gowns with white ribbons tied around the heads of the females. While
dancing one rushes to the left side of the stage raising his hands in the air, they all rush there and
raise their hands too and place their hands together like in the form of them praying together and
they all kneel down. This part signify them being in heaven. Later the females went back stage to
pick up chairs, place them on stage and sat on them with their legs opened widely. The males
came back and danced in between them.

When they got to the part where they will come to earth, a black cloth was put on the stage to
show that they are on earth. Males goes to change in a black trousers with brown ropes tied
across their chest, comes back to stage dance for a while leave the females there still sitting on
the chairs. Later new song starts to play entitled Our Father. After a while the female’s runs off
the stage with their chairs and the males also come to dance alone and the song changes again.

The females come back to join wearing a red top and black trousers with scarves wrapped around
their waist. They all dance together in the middle towards the left side and later splits up dance
for a while and they all leaves. A female comes on stage and sleep on the floor in a black top and
black trousers with a blue scarf wrapped around her waist. A male comes to join and dances with
her intimately and romantically. This part also signify where they female influenced the male
angel to stay on earth so the angels left him behind when they were going back to heaven.

In conclusion, the performance was a very interesting and an entertaining performance.