Dance Assoc. holds workshop for members

A two-day workshop on capacity-building for over 80 members of the Ghana Dance Association (GDA) has been held at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in Accra. 

Opening the workshop, Mr George Oppong, Director of CNC in Accra, urged members to update their knowledge regularly to help ensure progress in their artistic careers.  

He tasked participants, who were drawn from over 50 dance groups, to effectively execute their function as the nation’s cultural ambassadors, adding that their role as promoters of Ghana’s culture was extremely important. 

Resource persons for the  seminar included Korkor Amarteifio, Executive Director of the Accra Symphony Orchestra, Prof. John Collins, a renowned ethnomusicologist, Nii Tete Yartey, Director, Ghana Dance Company, John Owoo, editor of the arts website, www.artsghana.org, and George Lamptey, acting Director, Performing Arts, CNC, Accra.

Various issues relating to the business of the arts, marketing, packaging, use of social media, funding and proposal writing were discussed at the workshop. 

There was also a practical training programme at the Noyam African Dance Institute in Dodowa, near Accra. It was led by members of the Noyam Dance Ensemble and leaders of some of the dance groups.

The GDA, which is headed by Nii Tettey Tetteh and has a membership of over 7,000 across the country, mainly comprises traditional musicians, dancers and acrobats. 

When they assumed office a year ago, Nii Tetteh and the other GDA executive promised to hold workshops to enlighten members on issues such as working with contracts, royalty and performance rights payments, proper branding and packaging of performances, as well as insurance and social security matters. 

The Ghana Culture Forum sponsored the seminar.