Arts & Culture Program in Ghana

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As part of CVN’s quest to promote African culture, we have introduced an internship opportunity for people who would like to come and learn traditional African dance and drumming.

Africa is well-known for its music and dancing. CVN offers the opportunity to come to Ghana and learn about these wonderful traditional art forms which have been performed for centuries. You will learn how communities use 'talking drums’ to communicate both within the village and to other villages, a technique that is still in use today. You will also learn the traditional songs and dances that are performed at funerals, festivals and other ceremonies.

Dancing and drumming lessons take place on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

As well as the fee paid to CVN for your accommodation and meals, you will be required to make donation of 200 USD to the group to cover your lessons for one month.

Dancing Lessons

Africans have a great sense of rhythm and interpret the drumbeats with a distinctive and fascinating dance style.

For your dance lessons you will be placed within a traditional indigenous dancing group so that you can learn to master and enjoy that special African vibe.

Got Dance ($60) Gundi ($60)

The Gota dance is performed by the people of the Volta region of Ghana when a battle is won or a hero or warrior dies. During the dance traditional magic tricks are performed which includes climbing up a bamboo pole, lying on top of the pole and chewing on broken glass, amongst others!

You will learn the various movements in this dance - the cripple walk, the chicken walk and the stage walk (4 hours). In one week you can perfect this dance.

This dance originates from fishing communities on the coast. Many of the people in the villages are old so the dance imitates their slow walking with sticks, however the dance shows that when the husbands return with fish the old ladies run like young women again.

You will learn the old people walk, running and targeting, poll and stamp, stage work. In one week you can perfect this dance.

Gahu Dance ($70) Fume Fume ($80)

This dance is traditionally performed in Nigeria. Wealthy men in Nigeria wear enormous clothes which means they walk like a with their arms wide open. This dance imitates these men and the word 'gahu’ in Ewe means 'riches’.

This dance has eight variations.

1. Rich walk with merry making (2hr)
2. Chicken left and right (1hr)
3. Rich walk with flying hands (1hr)
4. Buttocks soft hit (1hr)
5. Chicken style in and out (1hr)
6. Waist shaking (1hr)
7. Solo out (1hr)
8. Stage work (1hr)

In two weeks you can perfect this dance.

People living in the coastal areas of Ghana (greater Accra region) worshiped different kinds of gods. These gods include one called tigali. Fume-fume derives from a dance which was preformed request the tigali gods bless them in abundance.

There are five variations in this dance.

1. Lizard walks (1hr)
2. Grasshopper movement (1hr)
3. Side-fast walk (1hr)
4. Cross leg shoot (1hr)
5. No-hand chicken style (1hr)
6. Stage work (2hrs)

In two weeks you can perfect this dance.

Anlokete ($70) Kpalogo ($80)