Ghanaian Contemporary Performing Arts
Contemporary Ghanaian performing arts have been influenced by foreign culture, technology and education. It is a synergy of indigenous performing arts with Western cultural forms of performing arts. There are three main forms of performing arts practiced by Ghanaians today. These are music, dance and theater.
Music
Contemporary Ghanaian music has been influenced by foreign musical styles and concepts, although there is no total eradication of indigenous musical styles. Some contemporary Ghanaian musicians combine indigenous and foreign musical styles when composing their songs. Foreign music styles that have influenced Ghanaian music today include jazz, pop music, blues, rock and roll, reggae, ragga, R&B, Indian and Arabic songs. Contemporary Ghanaian music includes highlife, which has more elements of indigenous music, hip-life, which fuses slow lyrical choruses with ragga or rap music. Currently, there is hip-pop music which is an exact interpretation of the western style of music, although the lyrics and language are mostly Ghanaian in nature. There is also church or choral music, band music, regimental or military music, as well as classical music.
Various foreign musical instruments are used hand in hand with indigenous musical instruments. These include guitars, pianos, trumpets like the saxophone, foreign drums, cymbals, etc. Unlike indigenous Ghanaian music, contemporary Ghanaian music is recorded in high-tech recording studios where other artificial elements are added to the originally composed music to bring it up to foreign standards. They are then copied onto compact discs, DVD’S, VCD’S, EVD’S, etc.
Contemporary Ghanaian music is played in theaters, church services, parties, concerts, dance halls, and parks. They are played during religious services to enhance praise and worship. They are also played during social functions such as wedding parties, sports activities and the like to entertain the attendees. During the workshops, talks and seminars, music is played to relieve stress and boredom during the intermissions of the program. They are played to boost the morale of the competitors in various forms of competitions. Others breed to educate us about morality, patriotism, and nationalism. There are various music contests and competitions that are held in Ghana to promote music. These include TV3 Mentor, X-Factor, etc.
Popular stars of contemporary Ghanaian music include Dr. Ephraim Amu who composed several choral songs for the Ghanaian community. Others include Agya Koo Nimo, Cindy Thompson, Yaw Sarpong, Daddy Lumba, Kojo Antwi, Nana Acheampong, Obrafo, Sarkodie, etc.
Dancing
Contemporary Ghanaian dance, like music, has been influenced by foreign dance styles. Some of these foreign dance styles include cracking, electric boogie, etc. The dance is performed to entertain people and express their feelings for each other. Contemporary Ghanaian dance forms include quickstep, mambo, waltz, foxtrot, salsa, boogie, cha-cha-cha, robot move, twist, break and now Azonto. These dance styles are performed at various functions such as churches, weddings, funerals, parties, durbars, and festivals, etc. Various dance competitions are held in Ghana today to promote dancing, such as the Malta Guinness Street Dance competition. Dancing is now a very lucrative enterprise in contemporary Ghana.
Drama
Contemporary Ghanaian drama is performed on a theater stage. Unlike indigenous Ghanaian drama, in which the audience sometimes interacts with the audience while the show is in season, contemporary Ghanaian drama is performed without interruption by the actors and actresses playing the various roles in the story depicted in the show. . The audience, however, participates by clapping, booing and shouting in an attempt to express their feelings towards the performance. Contemporary Ghanaian theater includes plays, comedies, operas, and cantatas.
Popular contemporary Ghanaian theater groups include the Abibigarma theater group, the National Dance Ensemble, the Osofo Dadzie theater group, the Adabraka theater company, and the Tsadidi theater group. Popular dramatic themes in contemporary Ghana include the National Dance Ensemble’s ‘The Black African Slave Trade’, Joe deGraft’s ‘Ananse and the gun man’, Ama Ataa Aidoo’s ‘The dilemma of a ghost’ and the celebrated ‘Marriage of Anansewaa ‘by Efua Sunderland.
Contemporary Ghanaian drama is presented in churches and mosques to illustrate some Christian themes to educate members on Christian and Muslim doctrines and the relevance of leading a good moral life in accordance with God’s principles and standards. During social gatherings, parties and festivals, plays are performed to entertain the attendees. Others are organized to educate the general public on social issues such as healthy living, personal hygiene, the country’s laws and regulations, patriotism, and the like.
