The 'Azonto' dance - a Ghanaian new creation: exploring new boundaries of popular dance forms

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Periodical article

Title:	The 'Azonto' dance - a Ghanaian new creation: exploring new boundaries of popular dance forms
Authors:	Ofosu, Terry Bright K. Dei, Tabitha
Year:	2013
Periodical:	African Performance Review (ISSN 1753-5964)
Volume:	7
Issue:	1
Pages:	45-64
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Ghana
Subjects:	dance youth popular culture diasporas African Americans
Abstract:	As part of the efforts to redefine the current diversity and complexity of popular and social dance practices in and out of Africa, the emergence of 'Azonto' dance, a Ghanaian new creation has sparked a lot of controversy. Will this unique dance form fizzle out and vanish into thin air like many popular dances which come into vogue? Will it metamorphose into an institutionalized or traditional popular dance form, such as highlife? This paper examines the development of 'Azonto' dance and the training system used in the University of Ghana to support it and preserve it as a popular dance practice; it also investigates the phenomenon that characterizes its transformation and transition into an African or African diasporic youth identities or African American dance practice, such as breaking, hip life, or hip hop. Bibliogr., notes, sum. [Journal abstract]