Cultural performers urged to promote Ghanaian values

Professor Pascal Yao Younge, at Composer Ohio University US, has called on music and dance performers to give equal importance to all the performances they undertake as they seek to portray the Ghanaian culture.

Prof Younge said culture is an important tool for every country and it cannot be performed by misinforming people, hence the need to attach importance to dance performances as it communicates to others the true nature of the tradition of a people.

He made the call at the opening of “DIEMA”, a two- day contemporary Ghanaian music and dance concert and symposium being held at the national theatre.

The event on the theme: “Ghana Meets the World,” is to focus on representation, performance and teaching of Ghanaian traditional and contemporary musical arts – drumming and dance for local amateur groups, teachers and educators.

It is being organised by the National Dance Company (Ghana Dance Ensemble) and National Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with Ohio University to celebrate contemporary Ghanaian music and dance.

Prof Younge said every dance performance has traditions, philosophies and cultural meanings backing it and this need to be well explained to educate viewers on what is being portrayed.

He said if professional dance performers and amateur groups want to remain in the art industry, then there is the need to preserve, develop and transform the cultural and traditional values into something new that has bearing on the traditional dance displays of the country.

Mrs Dzifa Gomeshie, Deputy Minister of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts, called on dance teachers to provide the right instructions pertaining to dance performances.

“In your own small way try and correct these issues along the line before it gets out of hand”, she said.

Source: GNA