Recently, Dancing Across Borders project, a cross-cultural exploration of rich medley of site-specific, drumming, singing, and research held in Legon, Ghana.
Organised by Pearse Dance Company (PDC), Nigeria; the Cell Concept Nela Ella Cameroon and Director of Ghana Dance Ensemble Ghana, Dr. Aristides Nene Narh Hargoe, the project sought to promote peaceful coexistence, re-orientation, cultural similarities and African unity.
Created and directed by the Nigerian dancer, choreographer, and researcher, Pearse Olufemi Tolulope, the three-day programme, which started on June 19, ended on June 21, held at the School of Performing Art Theatre, University of Ghana, Accra, with dancers and drummers of the Ghana Dance Ensemble rounding off the project.
The cultural exchange workshop was an electrifying experience, as Pearse took them through an occupational and recreational dance peculiar to his place of birth and origin Lagos State, particularly his “Isale Eko”.
Dancing Across Borders project explores the movement, traits, and cultural elements preserved through the study of people’s actions that stem from the autochthonous birth of the occupation.
According to Pearse, the project was created out of inquisitiveness in solving the issues and challenges surrounding borders in Africa, focusing on the porous nature of West African borders that gives room to the increase in crimes, violence, and serious issues of trafficking at the regional level.
More than 170,000 violent events between January 1997 and June 2021 have occurred according to the exploration of case studies carried out. He is positive that these challenges can be put to extinction, if Africans combined using these dances, poetry, and songs as a form of communication and expression of African cultural identity, as they often conveyed important messages, values, and beliefs of the different community.
“We must go back to the days of appreciating Art, nature, and dance, which played a significant role in uniting and bringing people together across the borders,” he said.
Pearse noted, “dancing across borders will be a medium to promote peaceful coexistence, and re-orientation, showcase cultural similarities, and African unity by connecting communities, producing vibrant, passionate, and dedicated creatives that will carry on the purpose, ideology, and ethics across Africa and a hope to drive the cause for oneness amongst African communities and regions.”
Also speaking on the project, a member of Ghana Dance Ensemble, Safianu, a dancer, expressed his profound appreciation to Pearse, for the knowledge and experience shared and for choosing to work with their troop as part of the project.
“Ghana Dance Ensemble has successfully collaborated with both the Government’s Institute of Arts and Culture, and The Institute of African Studies of the University of Ghana created from inception to be Ghana’s flagship for the professional, worldwide promotion of the music and dance heritage of Ghana undergirded by solid fieldwork and experimental research. Having this collaboration with Pearse Dance Company Nigeria, Nela Elle The Cell Concept Cameroon and Dr Hargoe (director) Ghana Dance ensemble will go a long way in promoting cross-cultural dance exchange to know other people’s cultures and foster unity within groups, communities and African countries.” He foresees dance crossings from Africa in which existing traditional canons would be adapted, distilled, and new canons crystalised.
“These new canons would again make dance an integral part of our existence, formulate cultural activity in works that are socially relevant and address the challenges the society is experiencing at this time by using their bodies and spirits to share the stories of our human condition, to make the world a safer, happier, more conducive, joyous, and habitable place for all. To propagate cultural tolerance as well as promote the African cross-culture through the arts,” he said:
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