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General News of Thursday, 22 February 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Van Calebs marks birthday with Okada riders at Kwabenya

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Ghanaian cultural dance instructor and philanthropist Van Calebs marked his birthday with some commercial motorcycle riders in Accra.

Van Calebs took his birthday to the streets of Kwabenya, cutting his cake and sharing it among the Okada riders who shared in the moment.

He also feasted with them with drinks and meals to mark an addition of a year unto his age.

Below is all you need to know about Van Calebs

Van Calebs was born on 22 February 1991 in Volta Region, Ghana. He is a Ghanaian Dancer, choreographer and Teacher who founded the Van Calebs Walking Stick Foundation which is a non-profit organization. Today is his birth birthday, take a look at his early life and Chorography dance career, etc.

He is an alumna of Wisconsin International University College, Silicon Valley International School and further studied at Adisadel College. He studied classical ballet for several years before becoming a choreographer.

His Dances career

Van Calebs was a pioneer cultural Chorographer dancer whose vision and ambitious endeavours helped catapult Ghana dance into the league of recognised African Chorography dances through his pioneer Cultural style of dance.

Born in 1991 in Ghana, and was brought up in the outskirts of the Volta Region in a suburb called Agbozume.

After leaving Adisadel College, Van founded his own school and company and codified his own modern dance technique. His style was both intensely technical and highly emotional, and he often found inspiration from myths and poems He created ‘The Dance Fame ‘ a dance convention aimed at training and mentoring professional dancers as well as promoting cultural exchange within the Ghana dance industry.

He is one of three sons of a notable lawyer, with a passion for the bodily expression of human behaviour. After some time spent in the south of the neighbouring country of Togo, his family settled in Accra, the capital, in 1990, where he discovered the rhythm of the sea and became familiar with Ghanaian art, influences which have manifested themselves in his choreography throughout his career. Over a career spanning over 8 years, Van has created a range of dances, ranging from solos to large-scale creations of full programs, such as “Base” (2018).

He rose to prominence when he initiated the dance move titled Rock Body used by Noella Wiyaala, a Ghanaian Afro-pop singer-songwriter (popularly known as Wiyaala).

Van Calebs caught the eyes of the French ambassador for cultural exchange, which prompted the French Embassy to sponsor his trip to France for dance events.

He is considered a major figure in contemporary African dance. At 34, the Ghanaian keeps on dancing, creating and promoting African and contemporary dance, through training, and shows.

For several years, he has contributed to the training of several dancers in Africa and the West. The Ghanaian has participated in making African dance known internationally. Together with his crew, he is the founder of the “Van Calebs Empire” in Ghana, which has been training dancers since 2013.

He is One choreographer who has changed the way dance itself is perceived in Ghana. He was also the first to introduce, styles like jazz and contemporary African cultural choreography forms, van rapidly went on to become the most sought-after choreographer in Ghana after his base dance step was used as a monument

Van Calebs has created more than 40 pieces of choreography, many of which he performed himself.