THE BEAUTIFUL ADOWA DANCE

SOURCE:GHANA WEB.COM

 Dance is a type of art that generally involves movements of the body, often rhythmic and to music. Dance may also be regarded as a form of non-verbal communication between a people.

Dances are performed in many cultures as a form of emotional expression and social interaction.it forms an integral part of life. We dance during naming ceremonies, marriages, festivals and, religious ceremonies etc. Dance also teaches us customs and traditions.

 The Adowa dance is  dance that is widespread among the Akan in Ghana.it originated from the movements  made by the antelope which was  captured for sacrifice to save the queen mother of the Ashanti kingdom Abrewa Tutuwa years back. These movements made by the antelope amazed the Asafo Company as they watched, hence the name Adowa to the dance.

The dance was then started by the asafo company and later picked up by the elderly women making the dance aligned to women. Women perform this dance in several Akan communities. However, the few men among the adowa ensemble handle the equipments.In present day, the adowa dance can be located in the Ashanti, Brong - Ahafo,kwahu,Akim and Abuakwa.

S0URCE:GHANA WEB.COM

The dance makes use of signs and movements. The dancers use a symbolic language and movements of the hands to tell different stories. The ‟atumpan”, ‟apetemna” drums with the ‟dawuro” are instruments that put the cherry on the Adowa dance. The atumpan drums are played with two hooked sticks. These drums are sometimes warped in red cloth. The ‟apetemma” drum figure in the form of triplets and it’s struck by the hands. These instruments make sounds that give nice rhythms to the dancers as they make the moves. The bell also plays a significant role in the music danced to in the Adowa dance.

The lyrics of the song express values including social and moral values such as sympathy for the deased, prominent people who have passed away and the Akan faith. Adowa is largely performed during funerals, festival durbar of chiefs etc. The dance is led by an elderly female known as the Adowa Hema (Adowa queen).