Ghana Music & Dance Intensive Course
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
Location: Nungua, near Accra, Ghana
Date: January 8th 2011
Duration: 4 weeks (or less)
Group size: 1+ people
Price: From £2050 including tuition, accommodation, 3 meals a day, excursions, airport connections and an amazing entertainment package. Excluding flights.
Associated activities: Group & Private Tuition in African Drumming & Dance, plus myriad other traditional instruments, viewing of several performances by local cultural groups, excursions to festivals & ceremonies.
Date: January 8th 2011
Duration: 4 weeks (or less)
Group size: 1+ people
Price: From £2050 including tuition, accommodation, 3 meals a day, excursions, airport connections and an amazing entertainment package. Excluding flights.
Associated activities: Group & Private Tuition in African Drumming & Dance, plus myriad other traditional instruments, viewing of several performances by local cultural groups, excursions to festivals & ceremonies.
The trip...
Ghana is a wonderful place to start your African adventures and the national language is English. Unlike some West African countries Ghana is very safe, politically stable and the people are the friendliest in Africa (Ghana was voted friendliest country in the world last year). Not to mention the amazing musical culture that exists on every street!
Tuza and Simon invite people's of the world for a once in a lifetime opportunity that will open your eyes, ears and spirit to the music and culture of West Africa. The four week study intensive will take you into the heart of the region’s traditional rhythms, dances and songs, helping you to develop your skills under the guidance of local drum and dance masters.
You can take part in live performances during the tour and participate in some incredible festivals and ceremonies. This adventure will allow you to experience the lifestyles and customs of the Ghanaian people first hand as you live side by side with them in their community.
Tuza and Simon invite people's of the world for a once in a lifetime opportunity that will open your eyes, ears and spirit to the music and culture of West Africa. The four week study intensive will take you into the heart of the region’s traditional rhythms, dances and songs, helping you to develop your skills under the guidance of local drum and dance masters.
You can take part in live performances during the tour and participate in some incredible festivals and ceremonies. This adventure will allow you to experience the lifestyles and customs of the Ghanaian people first hand as you live side by side with them in their community.
"I went to Africa with an open heart and mind and had my life changed forever " - Robert Christie, 2005
The Program...
Workshops will be held at a pristine beachside location close to our purpose built lodge. Students will be grouped according to their experience and aptitude. Classes will cater for absolute beginner to advanced levels and you may choose how to balance your days training between drumming and dancing.
There will be a range of Instructors from our Cultural Drum and Dance ensemble Salaka. Our lead teachers all have International experience in running workshops and performance. We will explore rhythms and songs from Ghana's coastal, mountain and northern regions.
Brothers, Adamane and Madou Keita from Burkina Faso also join our list of teachers. These two Griot musicians are masters of djembe, dundun, balaphon and the stringed ngoni.
Private Lessons Private tuition in marimba, talking drum, thumb piano (mbira) , flute and a host of other traditional instruments is available on request. We have a fantastic network of musicians from Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso as well as local Ghanaina masters like Thomas - Lead Marimba and musical director for the Pan African Orchestra
There will be a range of Instructors from our Cultural Drum and Dance ensemble Salaka. Our lead teachers all have International experience in running workshops and performance. We will explore rhythms and songs from Ghana's coastal, mountain and northern regions.
Brothers, Adamane and Madou Keita from Burkina Faso also join our list of teachers. These two Griot musicians are masters of djembe, dundun, balaphon and the stringed ngoni.
Private Lessons Private tuition in marimba, talking drum, thumb piano (mbira) , flute and a host of other traditional instruments is available on request. We have a fantastic network of musicians from Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso as well as local Ghanaina masters like Thomas - Lead Marimba and musical director for the Pan African Orchestra
"Thankyou for a wonderful journey - an introduction to the world of drumming seen through Ghanaian eyes. We had a great time. We will never be the same" - Holly and Leda, 2009
What's more...
We take pride in offering the largest and most diverse entertainment package available. We showcase a dozen different acts during your stay, many at our outdoor grass-hut stage and more on the streets of Accra. We will also take in myriad cultural performances at festivals and ceremonies and can point you in the direction of the hottest dance spots!
The lodge is a fully serviced Guesthouse with 10 huge triple bedrooms, all with ceiling fans. We have cleaners that maintain the premises daily and laundry services are provided at a minimal cost. Our in house caterers will prepare 3 meals a day with a focus on traditional dishes. Expect lots of fresh fruits, fish and interesting sauces. Vegetarians catered for and cooking classes available. Our lodge has a wonderful second floor dining & relaxation balcony that overlooks the Atlantic ocean (just a 100m away from the sea).
Family and friends are welcome to stay with us on tour and participate as much as they please. Just ask us and we will put together a special package for them. The community spirit and closeness of African communal living makes bringing children a relatively easy thing. There are innumerable children to play with and lots of reliable and very very cheap “baby sitters” living right on our doorstep.
The lodge is a fully serviced Guesthouse with 10 huge triple bedrooms, all with ceiling fans. We have cleaners that maintain the premises daily and laundry services are provided at a minimal cost. Our in house caterers will prepare 3 meals a day with a focus on traditional dishes. Expect lots of fresh fruits, fish and interesting sauces. Vegetarians catered for and cooking classes available. Our lodge has a wonderful second floor dining & relaxation balcony that overlooks the Atlantic ocean (just a 100m away from the sea).
Family and friends are welcome to stay with us on tour and participate as much as they please. Just ask us and we will put together a special package for them. The community spirit and closeness of African communal living makes bringing children a relatively easy thing. There are innumerable children to play with and lots of reliable and very very cheap “baby sitters” living right on our doorstep.
The difference...
This project is dedicated to supporting the local community and economy. All the teachers, cooks, cleaners, drum makers and bands that work for the project during the tour are locals. Each year we take on average 20 guests to Nungua and the one month tour brings a profound benefit to the local economy.
A multi stage community project has also been started - an education program for Nungua, specifically targeting Sanitation, Pollution and Rubbish issues. This project gives everyone a chance to see the benefits that can occur when the environment is kept clean. The program has entrusted several of their teachers with an Enviromental Monitoring Role during the year when the owners are not there.
Next year, stage two will focus on taking an Education Package to all the local Schools and Churches and talking directly to teachers, students and ministers about how they can better serve the local environment.
Any suggestions are welcome from past or present visitors or hands on support from anyone coming in future years. It's amazing how many locals have already commented that this project is really helping. By setting some small examples and by educating, there is the belief that a big difference can be made to the way the Nungua community looks at its’ responsibility to the environment.
A multi stage community project has also been started - an education program for Nungua, specifically targeting Sanitation, Pollution and Rubbish issues. This project gives everyone a chance to see the benefits that can occur when the environment is kept clean. The program has entrusted several of their teachers with an Enviromental Monitoring Role during the year when the owners are not there.
Next year, stage two will focus on taking an Education Package to all the local Schools and Churches and talking directly to teachers, students and ministers about how they can better serve the local environment.
Any suggestions are welcome from past or present visitors or hands on support from anyone coming in future years. It's amazing how many locals have already commented that this project is really helping. By setting some small examples and by educating, there is the belief that a big difference can be made to the way the Nungua community looks at its’ responsibility to the environment.
Where is it?
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
To learn more about Ghana, click here.
To discover other Responsible Tourism holiday ideas, click here.
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