The Aboakyri dance competition has over the years produced talented Ghanaian dancers.
Known for crowning the best dancer of the competition, many young talented dancers participate to showcase their talent to Ghana and the world.
Many contestants have over the years won prizes ranging from getting dance deals to winning cash. This year’s competition promises a blend of cultural traditional dance forms with modern dance influences. To oversee this, a line-up of seasoned judges have been shortlisted.
Below are your judges
1. EMMANUEL ACKAH
Emmanuel Ackah is a professional Ghanaian dancer, instructor, and choreographer. He discovered his interest in dancing during his early school days and has never looked back. Known for dancing both cultural and contemporary dance forms, Emmanuel has achieved a lot for himself in his field.
After participating in a few neighborhood dance competitions, he joined a cultural group called Dansinkra cultural group, where he received extensive cultural dance training.
Although people thought he was exceptional around the time, he learnt a lot during his stay with the group. He mastered the Adowa, Agbadza And Kpanlogo dances and became a master of these dance forms. One of his challenges at the time was the Kpanlogo, known to be a frenetic dance style of the Ga tribe of Ghana that originated around the coastal belt of Accra.
Not limiting himself to traditional dance, he also learnt and adapted to contemporary dance forms and has featured in music videos and stage performances for some renowned Ghanaian musicians.
Emmanuel left the Dansikra cultural group and together with other colleague dancers, formed the Uplift Dance School in 2019. Emmanuel Ackah has been a rising star in the entertainment business for some years now and has received numerous recognitions, including Goodies Music “Dance Your Style” held in Konongo in 2021 as a nominee.
Also, as a participant, him and other dancers represented Ghana in the Nestle Dance fever in Togo in 2022 where they placed second. As a dancer of both contemporary and cultural dance forms, Emmanuel Ackon’s inclusion as a judge makes people happy.
2. ALIANDRA ACKON
Aliandra Ackon is a dancer best known for winning the second season of Akwasidae Festive dance held in Swedru in the central region in 2021.
She is passionate about dancing and her presence shines within the entertainment industry. She has worked with musicians as a solo dancer and has equally performed with other dancers in a group.
Born to parents who are both civil servant workers, dancing did not come easy for Aliandra. Her journey to the top was marked with struggle and challenges because her parents rather preferred she graduate university and get a “real job” as they told her.
Her parents’ wish for her did not deter her from pursuing her dream of being a dancer. But unlike her parents and siblings, Aliandra fell in love with dancing in secondary school and her passion for it was what kept her going.
Secondary school dance was contemporarily influenced so when the dance Azonto came she was crowned “Azonto Queen” in Wesley Grammar Secondary School during inter-schools dance competition. Due to her popularity with Aznto, Shaknu and other contemporary dance forms, many people forget she is a force to reckon with in traditional cultural dance equally.
She started traditional dancing in a community dance group in Tema. Although she was exposed to modern dance, Aliandra Ackon has performed traditional dance as well with the Asenta and Bibani cultural groups.
With these groups, she performed traditional dance patterns like kete dance, kundum dance, adowa dance and kpanlogo dance. She has worked with notable Ghanaian musicians and choreographers such as Bukbak, Nkasei, Saneko cultural group, Mzbel, and many more as she rose through the ranks of the dance business.
3. JOSEPH KOJO NHYIRABA
As a former judge of past seasons for this dance competition, Joseph Kojo Nhyiraba’s expertise has helped shaped the event and recruited talented dancers. He was influential in nurturing the then Gospel Trio group, Castro and the brain behind the group Alive Choir.
He has not only being a judge on this platform but has also judged the Pentecost Dance for Christ held at the Assemblies of God church in Dansoman and known to be a former dance director at Christ is the Answer church in Bubiashie.
Joseph Kojo Nhyiraba born in Takoradi, in the western region had a lengthy and varied dance career in his childhood. Unlike many, his uncle wanted him to acquaint himself with the creative arts.
He therefore enrolled him in music and dance at the learning centers in their town. His uncle made sure he spent time after school at these learning centers learning how to sing and dance. Although his interests were more in the music, it shifted to the dance with time.
The Fantes pride themselves with their traditional dance called Apatampa. The dance start with the individual making a beat with both hands by hitting twice and clapping the hands on the third beat. Then after, beats the chest twice to make the fourth and fifth beat.
This is being done with a smile and cheerful face while moving. Also, the dance performance goes in the rhythm of the instruments. Joseph became a master of the Apatampa dance. Although he also learnt other traditional dances like borborbor and adowa, he was exceptional with the apatampa dance. He represented his town at the Ankos festival dance competitions held during their annual festival and won twice.
After he moved to Accra, he met Zagidi whom he learnt contemporary dance from and the two, together with other dancers graced event shows with authentic Ghanaian dances. He used to be one of the dancers for famous Ghanaian dancer who later became a renowned musician, Slim Buster. He also danced in Castro’s “Toffee” song music video. He dances for mzbel and VIP as well, and has performed with some cultural groups.
A few years ago, he teamed up with Brago cultural group in helping to teach students in the villages how to dance cultural dance forms. Aside all these, he is the longest judge on this dance talent show. During the British culture exchange summit held at the British Council in Accra few months ago, he was one ofthe performers who opened that day. Joseph Kojo Nhyiraba has imprinted his name in the books of seasoned Ghanaian cultural and contemporary dancers and is poised to soar higher.
4. LAWRENCE NII LANTEI BOYE
Lawrence Nii Lantei Boye (Big Boye)) entered the entertainment industry as a dancer a few years ago, after he won the regional teen dance competition in Accra in 2016. He later left Ghana for the Cote D’Ivore to where he got introduced to their traditional dance culture.
Notable of the country’s cultural dances, which Big Boye leant, were Zaouli, Goli and Boloys. His fast adaptation to the dance earned him a spot in Amare Dance ensemble in Ghana when they met at a cultural dance festive event held in Togo called Ewordzidzi.
Lawrence returned back home with Amare cultural troupe and featured in most of their performances. Their performance was seen as different from what people perceived Ghanaian cultural dance.
They displayed both Ghanaian Cultural dances like Adowa and kete mixed with Ivorian Zaouli, Goli and Boloye. On his return to Ghana, Big Boye decided to take up modern dance influences so he could incorporate it into his cultural dance.
In 2020 during the covid, he took advantage of the lockdown to introduce online dance classes. Those who signed could either got lessons in cultural or contemporary dance forms, or both.
Since joining the dance industry, Big Boye has proved, in no uncertain terms, that he reigns supreme among his contemporaries, and continues to make giant strides on the scene through his creativity. Today, the name Lawrence Boye has become a household name in Ghana.
He has been a judge on several singing and dancing competitions, including Nescafe African Revelation, Dance Fever and Malta Guinness Street Dance Africa.
5. FELIX ADJABENG
Felix Adjabeng, born in 2000, is regarded as one of Accra’s most gifted new generation artists. His passion for dance started in 2016 as a way to be part of the dance craze in his birthplace. His expertise began in 2019 when he signed up in dance competitions in Accra and surrounding neighborhoods. Moving into contemporary and cultural dance forms, he made a name for himself as one of the young prolific dancers to emerge in Accra.
He discovered He created a name for himself as a respected and Accra’s recognized dancer, choreographer, director, teacher, and screenwriter at a very young age. He has worked with choreographers such as Paa Tee and Dancegod. As an accra boy, Felix is a champion when it comes to the city’s culturally acclaimed dance, Kpamlogo.
6. PATRICIA LAMPTEY
She has been a dance powerhouse on various platforms spanning Europe, the United States, and Germany since she went overseas in 2015. Her resume includes collaborations with internationally renowned artists such as Burna Boy, Daddy Yankee, Jeremih, Dawn Richard from Danity Kane, Sampa the Great, Serani, and Soaky Siren.
Here in Ghana, she made headlines when featured in Daddy Lumba’s “Yentie Obiaa,” which showcased the best of African beauty and talent. She has been a traditional and contemporary dance coach since 2017. Some awards she has won include Milo Dance Star in 2016 and Dance Invoke 2018.
She has also been a familiar dance judge on TV since 2008. Originally born Kumasi in the Ashanti region, Patricia moved to Accra after completing secondary school; and that is where she found her passion for dancing.
7. MUNIRU ISHACK
Muniru Ishack better is one of the best dancers from Tema, Ghana. He was nominated for Best Dance Act at the 2018 Asabone Awards held in Kumasi.
He is currently considered to be one of the best dancers in Ghana. He has won the hearts of many with his dance here in Ghana and neighboring countries. He is known to have redefined the “Awukye” dance from its original form.
Muniru Ishack started his dance career in Tema as a cultural dancer. In the early stages of dancing, he performed with Asenko Dance group, a group he was part of. From Asenko Dance group, he performed with Anyemi cultural group. Dancing, as many argue, is more challenging to cultural forms than modern dance grooves. It was therefore easy for Muniru to veer also into contemporary dance. Together with other dancers, they rocked the Homowo dance festival that became talk of the town in 2022.
Muniru is the first of four kids, he is followed by a sister and twin brothers, who were later born in Lagos, Nigeria. Muniru’s parents were originally from Bimbila in the northern part of Ghana.
He attended Tema Senior High School. He did not continue his education because of his love for dancing and also due to financial constraints. Muniru Ishack began to pursue a career in dance after watching cultural dance groups and other modern dancers make ends meet from dancing.