Dance Camp Ghana 2024
Join us from August 20-September 3 to connect, understand and appreciate the culture of the Azonto dance.
Why Ghana?
Ghana has a very special place in my heart, as I’ve started learning traditional Ghanaian dances in the first place.
I met Francis in Vaasa, Finland (from all the places right?!) in 2015 during my student exchange. He taught me the ins and outs of traditional Ghanaian dances Gome and Kpalongo (dances that majorly influenced Azonto dance as we know it today).
I immediately fell in love with the music, the rhythms, the happiness of its sounds, its movements… as it brought me back to remembering why I love dancing in the first place; to express and share my stories, but most of it all, to connect to others — something I’ve been missing with my practice.
I became obsessed with studying the meaning and origins of its dances, music, cultures on all possible platforms (thank you social media and Internet!), and I discovered Azonto. Then again, hooked! A music that started traveling and booming in the UK in 2011, and that started connecting the African diaspora from all over the world through events, parties, etc.
I became obsessed with studying the meaning and origins of its dances, music, cultures on all possible platforms (thank you social media and Internet!), and I discovered Azonto. Then again, hooked! A music that started traveling and booming in the UK in 2011, and that started connecting the African diaspora from all over the world through events, parties, etc.
Landing in Amsterdam summer of that same year, was the cherry on the cake as I got to expand my knowledge and training of many more street African dances (Afrohouse, Coupe Decale, N’Dombolo…), yet not quite grasping its essence.
I knew there was only one way to really attempt at understanding and connecting the dots of a culture: go to the source and learn directly from the creators.
Fast forward to April 2022 and my first trip to Ghana: MIND. BLOWN. On so many different levels.
I knew there was only one way to really attempt at understanding and connecting the dots of a culture: go to the source and learn directly from the creators.
Fast forward to April 2022 and my first trip to Ghana: MIND. BLOWN. On so many different levels.
—The people, their kindness and open mindedness, authenticity and generosity. They gave us everything they had; from their time, energy, to their homes and food, knowledge, techniques…
— The culture as a whole, and understanding that each and every single parcel of sound, music, melody, beat, rhythm, step, way of living, dressing, eating, speaking… has a name and a meaning, and that it’s essential to understand it so you can better integrate it into your practice.
— The dance itself, seen and trained as a mean of expression, connection and celebration, of self and others. As a mean to (re)unite to your body, mind and heart, but also to a line of incredible history and richness… Dance as freedom of movement, of being and existing.
— The culture as a whole, and understanding that each and every single parcel of sound, music, melody, beat, rhythm, step, way of living, dressing, eating, speaking… has a name and a meaning, and that it’s essential to understand it so you can better integrate it into your practice.
— The dance itself, seen and trained as a mean of expression, connection and celebration, of self and others. As a mean to (re)unite to your body, mind and heart, but also to a line of incredible history and richness… Dance as freedom of movement, of being and existing.
For whom is this experience?
Coming back to Amsterdam made me realise even more how privileged we are to be having access to these rich cultures, that I made it my mission to create more opportunities for students to understand, connect, appreciate and cherish it even more. No matter what we do with our art and craft, we owe it to honouring, appreciating and giving back to the cultures that support us in our daily well-being.
So if this is you:
— You understand and can relate to our mission for this experience
— You train on a regular basis and attend classes, workshops, training sessions, etc. in your city and/or travel abroad when you have the opportunity to learn from others
— You have developed a strong interested for and/or are familiar with the Afro world dance and music already (you attend parties, listen to the music on a regular basis, etc.)
— You’re really curious about connecting and understanding the meaning of the dance, music and culture overall
— You’re a respectful, open minded, caring and compassionate human being, bringing your personality everywhere you go
— You’re not afraid to contribute to the group, and support into creating a safe space for self-expression — You’re ready for a once-in-a-lifetime human bonding experience!
Then by all means, let’s connect!!
So if this is you:
— You understand and can relate to our mission for this experience
— You train on a regular basis and attend classes, workshops, training sessions, etc. in your city and/or travel abroad when you have the opportunity to learn from others
— You have developed a strong interested for and/or are familiar with the Afro world dance and music already (you attend parties, listen to the music on a regular basis, etc.)
— You’re really curious about connecting and understanding the meaning of the dance, music and culture overall
— You’re a respectful, open minded, caring and compassionate human being, bringing your personality everywhere you go
— You’re not afraid to contribute to the group, and support into creating a safe space for self-expression — You’re ready for a once-in-a-lifetime human bonding experience!
Then by all means, let’s connect!!
They said it!
I was lucky enough to bring 9 of my dearest students with me, and even more grateful to have had the opportunity to witness their movement, expression and growth as human beings and dancers over two weeks…
Spilling the details...
Everything you need to know about this experience:
— Traveling from August 20th to September 3rd
— 14 days 13 nights in an 8-bedroom apartment in the city centre of Accra, fully equipped with all the supplies (private bedrooms with their own bathrooms, AC, WiFi) and very close to all shopping centres and amenities
— Up to 12 classes with the best teachers and pioneers of the Azonto dance, holding all the knowledge, tools and mindsets that will help you express yourself with confidence
— Visits to historical monuments and organisations to you to connect even more with the culture
— A phenomenal nightlife, parties, live band music, performances, battles, markets, etc.
— An opportunity to get to know yourself outside of your daily routines, connect to an amazing and rich culture, make new friends and get out of your comfort zone with your dancing skills!
— 14 days 13 nights in an 8-bedroom apartment in the city centre of Accra, fully equipped with all the supplies (private bedrooms with their own bathrooms, AC, WiFi) and very close to all shopping centres and amenities
— Up to 12 classes with the best teachers and pioneers of the Azonto dance, holding all the knowledge, tools and mindsets that will help you express yourself with confidence
— Visits to historical monuments and organisations to you to connect even more with the culture
— A phenomenal nightlife, parties, live band music, performances, battles, markets, etc.
— An opportunity to get to know yourself outside of your daily routines, connect to an amazing and rich culture, make new friends and get out of your comfort zone with your dancing skills!
Example of day 1
— Breakfast (in or outside of the house depending on the mood/feeling)
— 11:00 — class #1
— 14:00 — chill & lunch together for whoever feels like it + free time (beach, strolling in the city, etc.)
— 18:30 — class #2 OR dinner + party
— from 22:00 — partayyyy!!
— 11:00 — class #1
— 14:00 — chill & lunch together for whoever feels like it + free time (beach, strolling in the city, etc.)
— 18:30 — class #2 OR dinner + party
— from 22:00 — partayyyy!!
Example of day 2
— Full day trip to visit one of the main historical activities in Accra/Ghana starting around 6:30am and back home around 8-9pm with enough free time to walk and stroll around, visit local markets and festivities
Your stay in Accra
We will be staying at the Bird Beach Travels guest house, a compound house, consisting of one 8 bedrooms (4 upstairs and 4 downstairs).
— Safety of a gated facility with a house manager to take care of it during our daily trips
— Private rooms with private bathrooms available, including a Full bed (Large Single Room) or a Queen Size bed (XL Single Room), AC, and its own keys
— Wifi and shared lounges with smart TVs, board games, small library, light exercise equipment
— Fully equipped kitchens
— Very close distance from Accra towns of Labone, Osu and many more that are close in distance
— And even closer to Labadi beach!
— Safety of a gated facility with a house manager to take care of it during our daily trips
— Private rooms with private bathrooms available, including a Full bed (Large Single Room) or a Queen Size bed (XL Single Room), AC, and its own keys
— Wifi and shared lounges with smart TVs, board games, small library, light exercise equipment
— Fully equipped kitchens
— Very close distance from Accra towns of Labone, Osu and many more that are close in distance
— And even closer to Labadi beach!
Your next steps
No matter your experience with dancing or traveling, I am committed to supporting you along the way, and provide you as many details as possible to ensure a smooth onboarding.
* STEP 1 — make sure you have enough resources (mentally, physically, financially) to commit to our experience.
* STEP 2 — fill in the form below. Once completed, I will get back to you within the next 48h to schedule your intake call and have the opportunity to get to know each other better.
* STEP 3 — fill in the necessary forms to complete your registration and payment(s) before agreed deadlines.
* STEP 4 — you will be linked up with the rest of the group, and multiple meet-ups (on and off-line) will be organised for the group to get to know each other.
* STEP 5 — book your flights and visa appointments.
* STEP 6 — get excited, you will be there in not time!!! 😀
* STEP 1 — make sure you have enough resources (mentally, physically, financially) to commit to our experience.
* STEP 2 — fill in the form below. Once completed, I will get back to you within the next 48h to schedule your intake call and have the opportunity to get to know each other better.
* STEP 3 — fill in the necessary forms to complete your registration and payment(s) before agreed deadlines.
* STEP 4 — you will be linked up with the rest of the group, and multiple meet-ups (on and off-line) will be organised for the group to get to know each other.
* STEP 5 — book your flights and visa appointments.
* STEP 6 — get excited, you will be there in not time!!! 😀
Your have questions?
Absolutely. Previous group was very eclectic and had different levels, however all students and myself made it a priority to focus on supporting each other and creating space to truly connect and express ourselves with honesty and authenticity, prioritising communication above all.
100%!! It’s essential for me to get to know you (hence the introductory call), and understand your motivations in joining our experience. This is definitely a dance camp, and I expect each participant to share responsibility in providing a safe, open and caring space.
I’ll link you up with the rest of the group, and multiple meet-ups and training sessions will be organised, in order to get to know each other better, and get excited together!!
I’ll link you up with the rest of the group, and multiple meet-ups and training sessions will be organised, in order to get to know each other better, and get excited together!!
Classes are always open level, suitable for beginners and more intermediate dancers. Teachers are always informed prior to class, and will definitely adapt to the level of the group; however make no mistake, they will challenge you, push you and get the best out of you! 🙂
As it will be raining season in Ghana during our experience, the weather will be quite humid, so you’ll still definitely break more than a sweat!
We’ll be training indoors directly at the teacher’s school (with air conditioning), or outdoors (often on our patio in the house, or at a location in Accra, agreed upon between Sabou and the teacher).
We’ll be training indoors directly at the teacher’s school (with air conditioning), or outdoors (often on our patio in the house, or at a location in Accra, agreed upon between Sabou and the teacher).
I’m only taking 7 of you, to allow for a more intimate and cosier experience.
Absolutely!! All classes and activities are included in your package, but you’re free to wander around whenever you want it, however you want it and with whomever you want it as well. You’re as responsible as we all are to creating a memorable experience for yourself.
Respect, open mindedness and a willingness to make it happen no matter what are what I’m expecting from each participant.
However you like it! As mentioned in the previous question, it is up to you to schedule your free time alone and/or with the group. I favour community and a genuine/authentic connection within the group, as I also respect each and everyone’s boundaries. Communication will be our best friend!
Ghana is one of the safest countries you can explore and discover; its people are very kind, generous and helpful whenever you need it. As anywhere else in the world, we’ll always have to be mindful not to wander around in the less desirable neighbourhoods, however we’ll be staying and discovering the safest ones.
100%!! Schedule in your discovery call and let’s talk about it. The idea for the both of us is to feel confident and excited enough to be spending some time together for two weeks.
Your well-being is my priority during this experience.
We communicated a lot and had our ‘circles’ every other day, to check in on each other, reflect over the different experiences (dancing, living, and many other topics), share our thoughts and support each other when it would be challenging. It was a very caring, thoughtful and mindful group, and I am committed to recreating such a safe and open space moving forward.
We communicated a lot and had our ‘circles’ every other day, to check in on each other, reflect over the different experiences (dancing, living, and many other topics), share our thoughts and support each other when it would be challenging. It was a very caring, thoughtful and mindful group, and I am committed to recreating such a safe and open space moving forward.
The unique opportunities you have to constantly be surrounded and immersed in the culture, with the people. We barely stayed home, always joining in locals for new adventures, taking the time to listen to their stories, which made us understand the meaning of everything even more.
More information will be shared in our terms & conditions, however unless extreme force majeure, there are no refunds, as your down payments allow me to secure bookings provided in this experience.
Def, the second last day where we had the workshops in Jamestown. Just dancing with everybody outside in the sun and all the kids joining, felt so good. And the cyphers that developed at the end MY GOD. It was just everything coming together perfectly at the end of the trip. The people from Ghetto studios are just amazing and dancing with them outside of the small HOT studio, in also different styles felt really nice!
Fleur
For me it is the being part and invited into their community through dance. It gives a feeling of hey you are welcome, you can belong in this moment here, and also enjoying to see these people, including the kids, share who they are. its the genuine connections for me <3
Iris
(Biggest takeaway from this experience) You don't eat, you dance!
Milou
(Biggest takeaway from this experience) That I need to prioritise and balance my life out even more and prioritise stuff that makes me happy, like dancing. I love my job but I need to make room for afro dance classes. It not only makes me happy but it has helped me easing into me, into the person I wanna be and become. And Ghana helped with that as well. - Ayu
Ayu
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