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Smiles of satisfaction ran across the faces of members of the Jale Ensemble as they held hands and bowed before the enthusiastic audience at the end of their performance at the Freedom Park on Lagos Island in Nigeria.
The award-winning Ghanaian traditional music and dance group had put in long hours of practice for the first leg of their West African tour and were happy their two shows and two teaching sessions in Lagos had gone extremely well.
Facilitated by music promoter, Ojo Abiodun Isaiah’s AB Arts and Culture Limited, Jale Ensemble played gigs at the Tafawa Balewa Square and Freedom Park, both on Lagos Island, and held drum and dance workshops at the University of Lagos at Akoka Yaba and the National Museum at Ikoyi.
Strong advocates of authentic Ghanaian music and dance since its formation in 2011, the ensemble shook the performance venues with well-arranged music and expertly choreographed pieces but the moments of spontaneous and intuitive displays were also appreciated by their audiences.
“We are from the Greater Accra Region so items specific to that locality such as Kolomashi, Kpanlogo and Fume Fume always flow effortlessly from us,” said group leader, Nii Laryea Pabifio Joseph.
“All the same, we gave the audiences an exciting tour of Ghana with repertoire like Bamaya (Northern Region), Adowa (Ashanti Region), Agbadza (Volta Region) Apatampa (Central Region) and Bawa (Upper West Region).”
Jale Ensemble members drew on their teaching experience to impart useful information about Ghana’s drum and dance traditions during the workshops. A student of the University of Lagos, Tosin Femi-Kayode said after the workshop at her school that she felt transported to Accra as she tried to dance Kpanlogo.
The tour organizers, AB Arts and Culture Limited, awarded a Certificate of Recognition to Jale Ensemble at the end of the tour for their “outstanding performances and dedication to African Traditional Music and Dance.”
Since its formation about 12 years ago, the Jale Ensemble has been active on Ghana’s cultural music and dance circuit with appearances at traditional festivals such as the Arts and Culture Festival at the Nungua Junction Mall; Asafotufiam at Ada and Yeyeeye (Twins Festival) at Ga-Mashie in Accra.
The group has also performed at the famous Chale Wote Festival in Accra and thrilled guests at notable hotels like Alisa, Best Western Plus, Movenpick, La Palm Royal Beach and others.
Now back in Accra, the ensemble is strategizing to take in Togo and Benin for the next leg of the tour and then tackle a few other West African states. The warm response in Nigeria has encouraged them to carry on with the planned trips to other states in the sub-region and are looking forward to more enthusiastic feedback when they do.
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