Basic 1 · Creative Arts · Thinking and Exploring Ideas
Music and Dance in Our Community
In this topic you will learn about the music, dance and drama of people in your community.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Name performing arts in your community
- Name some Ghanaian dances
- Name instruments used in our music
What you already know
- Art in our community
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- Performing Arts
- Sub-strand
- Thinking and Exploring Ideas
- Indicator
- B1.2.1.1.1 – Think about the people who live in the local community and describe what you know about their history and culture or way of life
Introduction
At festivals, people drum, sing and dance. Each group in Ghana has its own dances. These are performing arts.
1. Performing Arts
Performing arts: Art that people do in front of others, like music, dance and drama.
2. Ghanaian Dances
| Dance | People |
|---|---|
| Adowa | Akan |
| Kpanlogo | Ga |
| Agbadza | Ewe |
| Bamaya | Dagomba |
3. Instruments
- drums
- gourd shaker (axatse)
- bell (dawuro)
- flute
New words
- performing arts
- Music, dance and drama done for others.
- dance
- Moving the body to music.
- drum
- An instrument you beat with hands or sticks.
- rhythm
- A regular pattern of sounds.
Summary
- Music, dance and drama are performing arts.
- Adowa, Kpanlogo, Agbadza and Bamaya are Ghanaian dances.
- Drums, shakers and bells keep the rhythm.
Class activity: Festival Rhythm
- Listen to the drum and shaker.
- Clap the rhythm with your group.
- Dance a few steps you have seen at a festival.
You need: Pencils, Crayons, Old cartons, Manila paper, Kente, Adinkra samples
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which is a performing art?
- A. Dance
- B. A clay pot
- C. A stool
- D. A cloth
Show answer
Answer: DanceDance is done in front of others.2. Kpanlogo is a dance of the…
- A. Ga
- B. Ewe
- C. Dagomba
- D. Akan
Show answer
Answer: GaKpanlogo comes from the Ga people.3. Drums keep the rhythm in music.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueDrummers play the beat.4. Music is a visual art.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseMusic is a performing art.5. Moving the body to music is called ______.
Show answer
Answer: danceThat is the meaning of dance.6. Name two instruments used in Ghanaian music.
Show answer
Answer: Any two: drum, gourd shaker, bell, flute.These are common instruments.
Homework
- Ask an adult the name of a dance from your hometown.