Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture intends to introduce the Inter-Regional Seasonal Dance Competition to be called “Dance Gala” to promote the various Ghanaian cultural festivals dedicated to showcase the artistic and dancing prowess of the various regions.
The sector minister, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, who announced this in Parliament yesterday, explained that it would catalog all of the various traditional dances and performances of the country’s various ethnic groups and categorise them into specific geographical boundaries (respective regions).
According to him, the move is intended to encourage inter-regional competition similar to the sports’ football gala, in which the winning region keeps the trophy and is the defending champion until the next season of the same event.
Dance Workshop
He stated that a traditional dance workshop would be organised, with the emphasis on the country’s traditional dance forms, their history, and their meanings.
“A capacity building and training programme will be organised for the artists to enhance their skills to prepare them for the world market,” the minister added.
Dr. Awal stated that through the use of technology on the platforms of the ministry and its agencies, foreigners and Africans in the diaspora would be able to learn their preferred dances.
“We will engage domestic and international partners to drive the agenda of showcasing Ghana’s dance and cultural performances through Ghana’s missions abroad,” he disclosed.
The minister stated that street performances from selected second cycle schools as well as tertiary institutions in the country will be organised on a regular basis in order to promote and unearth the potentials in Ghanaian youth while preparing them for international markets.
Dr. Awal said the Centre for National Culture offices in the country’s 16 regions will be expected to champion the initiative’s decentralisation.
NAFAC
The minister stated that the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC), one of the ministry’s flagship programmes carried out through the National Commission on Culture (NCC), would be promoted.
He explained that the NAFAC was a biennial celebration to promote the various Ghanaian cultural festivals in all 16 regions of the country, with days specifically dedicated to showcasing the various regions’ artistic and dancing prowess.
“Indeed the latest one was held in November 2022 in Cape Coast where almost all the various dance types of the nation were displayed. The Ministry intends to put in the needed investment to ensure its sustainability and wider patronage among the communities,” he stated.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House