African Dance in Ghana

In 'African Dance in Ghana: Contemporary Transformations', Francis Nii-Yartey takes the reader through the history of dance in Ghana and West Africa: from traditional dances at special occasions to contemporary performances in Ghana and elsewhere. The book includes detailed choreographic instructions to 18 dance pieces, most of which were written, choreographed and directed by the author. Nii-Yartey's direct involvement with the developments in African dance in Ghana - both traditional and contemporary - makes him uniquely well-equipped to tell the story. Through his directorship of the Department of Dance at the University of Ghana and involvement in establishing the Ghana Dance Ensemble and the Noyam African Dance Institute, he helped shape the identity of post-independent Ghana. ''What l have learned during my many years involvement in co-productions living and sharing with people of different cultures is that the more exposed one is to other cultures, the easier one can deal with the problems associated with such complex artistic collaborations. " (Nii-Yartey)