Drumming & Dancing with
Asanti Dance Theatre
Asanti’s dancing,
drumming and performing programmes take place in Ghana and focus on
traditional African music and its connection with African culture. Programmes
are designed to immerse students in a unique cultural, historical and
musical environment.
This programme takes
place in the Asanti Dance Theatre rehearsal premises located at Assase pa
in Bakano, a picturesque beachside town in Cape Coast. Cape Coast is the
capital of the central region, located approximately 3 hours west of Accra,
which is the capital of Ghana.
The programme includes
music, dance and performance instruction. Students will learn to perform a
variety of traditional African dances and rhythms. Participants will also
have the opportunity to learn traditional crafts such as batiking, making
Djembe drums, and cooking. Weekends are free to visit many of the world
famous historical sites, beaches and national parks, which the area is
famous for. We have included sample weekend itineraries for your
information at the end of this programme sheet.
Asanti’s musical
programme is open to students and visitors from around the world.
Asanti accepts Students
throughout the year from January to December. Extended stays can be
arranged at any time through consultation with Appiah. Contact:
onecedi2002@yahoo.co.uk or:
Int: +233 244 59 01 06 In Ghana: 0244 59 01 06.
The Programmes
Asanti’s African music
programmes offer instruction in traditional drumming, dancing and singing,
and opportunities to learn batiking, drum making, and Ghanaian cuisine.
Since founding Asanti
Dance Theatre in June 2003, teachers, musicians and students have participated
in various annual music programmes. Students and their teachers from Deakin
University in Australia, Apalanche University in North Carolina, as well as
numerous international travelers and volunteers working in Ghana, have
participated in these programmes.
Programme
Fundamentals:
Age: Minimum 16 years. Under 16 must
be accompanied by an adult.
Group Size: Minimum 6 people.
Dates: Monthly courses for groups and individuals
start regularly throughout the year.
Fees: Individuals: US$321 per Week. Groups: US$281 per Week
Payments: Fees payable upon arrival in US dollars
Accommodation: You will arrange your accommodation separately to
suit your travel and budget plans.
Food: All meals Monday - Friday.
Duration: Minimum course one week. Courses are built on weekly
blocks, and are typically 3 to 4 weeks duration. Courses run throughout the
year – please ask us when
Classes: 8 a.m. - 12p.m. Lunch 12p.m. – 1p.m. Classes 1p.m. – 5p.m.
Arrival airport: Kotoka International airport, Accra
CLASSES:
Drumming and dancing
classes start at 8 a.m. and continue through to 12p.m. Lunch is taken
between 12p.m. and 1p.m. Classes resume at 1p.m. and finish at 5p.m., after
which time students are free to explore Cape Coast’s traditional sites,
beaches and venues.
Classes are held at
Assase pa, a large performing and rehearsal space located adjacent to the
picturesque beach and lagoon at Bakano. Assase pa is a short walk from the
centre of town and Cape Coast Castle. Classes will consist of dancing and
drumming instruction, and lectures about the history of each dance and
drumming style.
Dancing:
Our teaching repertoire
includes a variety of traditional dances from various regions of
Africa,including Guinea, Togo, Ghana and South Africa. Male and female
Asanti Dance Instructors will train with students during dance practice and
performance.
One of the dances we
teach is the Kpanlogo a dance from Greater Accra. This is a traditional
dance depicting fishermen returning from their work on the sea, and women
who are waiting to welcome their return. The gestures and movements of this
dance express the happiness and joy shared by both parties when they meet
and trade the fish at the shore. This is a great social occasion and the
dance is performed as a social dance.
Drumming:
Drumming instruction
can be arranged to suit individual’s and group’s needs. Our instruction
normally uses djembe and traditional drums. We will teach a variety of
traditional rhythms, and also the dance rhythms for the drums so students
can perform both drumming and dancing parts upon their return.
Traditional djembe,
dumdum, kpanlogo, fromtofrom (royal) drums, bells, brekete, dondo (armpit
drum) and an Ewe drumset are available in Assase pa rehearsal space for
students’ use.
Improvisation:
We also use bottles,
spoons, pans, calabash bowls, and anything else which can be used to create
sound, to produce percussive sound effects. We provide support during
classes to encourage students to experiment and improvise with percussive
rhythms and techniques.
Graduation:
Upon graduation,
students are presented with a Certificate of Participation from Asanti
Dance Theatre showing what they have learnt during their programme.
On the final day,
students will give a performance, accompanied by their teachers, of all the
dances and drum rhythms they have learnt during their programme.
Asanti accepts Students throughout the year from January to December.
Extended stays can be arranged at any time through consultation with
Appiah. Contact: onecedi2002@yahoo.co.uk or Mobile: Int: +233 244 59 01 06.
Ghana: 0244 59 01 06.
In short, our programmes provide:
- Training for people
from around the world interested in African culture and the arts
through the medium of music. Intensive dancing and drumming classes,
and traditional cultural crafts and activities.
- Opportunities for
visiting participants and Asanti performers to exchange practices and
techniques with each other and perform for local audiences.
- Opportunities to
accompany Asanti Dance Theatre to their regular performances at the
famous venues in Cape Coast.
- Opportunities to
experience Ghanaian life through weekend visits to nearby cultural and
natural attractions.
- A welcome
performance by Asanti Dance Theatre members at Kotoka International
Airport upon arrival and exit from the Arrivals Hall.
About Cape Coast
Cape Coast is the capital of the Central Region. The town is situated
between the ocean and surrounding low-lying hills and lagoons. Its
residential population extends from the outlying villages to the town’s
centre. Commercial Street, in the centre of town, runs north-south to Cape
Coast Castle on the seashore, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The primary industries of the Cape Coast area are fishing, agriculture,
educational training, and the production of hand-dyed cloth. English is
spoken by all residents of Cape Coast. The local language is Fante which is
also spoken between locals, and students are encouraged to learn some basic
phrases which will provide another means of interacting with people you
meet during your stay in Cape Coast.
FESTIVALS OF CAPE COAST
Elmina Festival is of one week’s duration and takes place in the
first week of July in the fishing village of Elmina and various venues in
the area. Cape Coast Festival is of one week’s duration and takes
place in the final week of September at various venues in Cape Coast. Panafest
– Pan-African Festival – takes place every second year in July (next 2007)
in Cape Coast. Performers visit from all over Africa in a united
celebration of history and culture.
Visit to Beaches, Historical Sites, Villages and Markets
Your weekends are free to relax and visit the famous regional
attractions such as Kakum National Park and its renowned rainforest Canopy
Walk. The Central Region is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in
West Africa, and the unique village of NzuLezo - the stilt village in the
Amansuri wetlands west of Takoradi – is about 3 hours from Cape Coast.
Students are free to travel independently on the weekends to other parts of
Ghana if they wish.
BEACHES:
Cape Coast boasts a number of clean, sandy swimming beaches in its
immediate vicintiy, which students will be shown and can visit at their
leisure. A couple of hours west lie the renowned beaches and colourful
fishing villages of Busua and Axim, which can also be visited on weekends.
HISTORICAL SITES:
Cape Coast and its nearby neighbour, Elmina, are home to two of the most
historically significant sites in West Africa. Cape Coast Castle, a former
slave trading stronghold controlled by various colonial powers throughout
its history, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, located at the southern end
of town. Elmina Castle, once controlled by the Portugese, Dutch and
British, is located in the historic fishing village of Elmina, 15 kms from
Cape Coast. Elmina Castle contains the oldest standing European structure
in Sub-Saharan Africa, built in 1482 by the Portugese.
MARKETS:
Students will be guided through Kotokoraba Market in the main street of
Cape Coast. Sunday is a bustling market day where all manner of traditional
and modern items can be purchased. Beads, and traditional batik and
tie-dyed printed cloths and woven cloth are very popular among visitors. Asanti
can introduce you to local seamstresses who will create unique clothing
from your choice of cloth for you to take home as a memento of the
traditional crafts of Ghana.
PROCUREMENT AND SHIPMENT OF TRADITIONAL WARES & MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS
Asanti can procure high quality instruments at competitive prices for those
students who wish to purchase them. We can assist with the shipment of the
instruments to your final destination. We arrange shipment by CASH ON
DELIVERY (C. O. D).
ASANTI MUSIC PROGRAMME FEES
All prices are quoted in
$US
|
WEEKLY FEE
|
|
|
GROUP - $281
|
|
|
plus one-off fee of
$US10.00 to and from Accra
The fee includes:
- 8 hours per day
of classes, 5 days per week.
- 3 meals per day
Monday – Friday
- Pick up at
airport and transport between Accra and Cape Coast accommodation
- Use of all Asanti
musical equipment, at your leisure, including weekends if you wish
- Transport to and
from Asanti performances and rehearsals
|
|
|
INDIVIDUAL - $321
|
|
|
plus one off-fee of
$US10.00 to and from Accra
The fee includes:
- 8 hours per day
of classes, 5 days per week.
- 3 meals per day
Monday – Friday
- Transport between
Accra and Cape Coast accommodation
- Use of all Asanti
musical equipment, at your leisure, including weekends if you wish
- Transport to and
from Asanti performances and rehearsals
|
|
PLANNING ACCOMMODATION
* Sammo Hotel, Cape Coast
- per day: 9.50
- 5 days: 47.50
- 7 days: 66.50
* Accommodation will be paid by the participant directly to the
hotel. This gives you the freedom to manage your costs should you travel on
weekends to one of the nearby beaches or villages. For example, you may
stay in Cape Coast for 5 nights, and travel for 2 nights, and return to
Cape Coast on Sunday evening. Asanti's groups regularly use Sammo. This is
a guide for your budgeting purposes, however you may elect to stay
somewhere else to suit your budget. HOME STAY - We can arrange a home stay
with a Cape Coast family. Please let us know if you are interested in this
so we can make appropriate arrangements.
OTHER BUDGETING INFORMATION TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR VISIT
|
Weekend trip to
Busua Beach, 2 hours west of Cape Coast
|
|
Travel to and from Busua beach
|
7.00
|
|
Accommodation one night
|
7.00
|
|
Food - per day
|
8.25
|
|
TOTAL
|
22.25
|
|
Weekend trip to
Nzulezo Stilt Village, 4 hours west of Cape Coast
|
|
Travel to and from Nzulezo
|
9.45
|
|
Accommodation one night
|
8.25
|
|
Park entry and canoe to and from village
|
10.60
|
|
Food - per day
|
8.25
|
|
TOTAL
|
25.95
|
|
Other approximate
fees for your guidance
|
|
Entry to Cape Coast Castle
|
8.50
|
|
Entry to Elmina Castle
|
8.50
|
|
Kakum National Park transport and entry
|
12.00
|
|
Bowl of plain or spicy rice, egg and beans on street
|
0.60
|
|
Restaurant meal of chicken and fried rice
|
5.00
|
|
350 ml bottle of water
|
0.30
|
|
350 ml sachet of treated water
|
0.03
|
|
