Ghanaian troupes to compete at Japanese dance festival in Accra

Accra, Oct. 23, GNA - Fourteen Ghanaian dance groups, made up of more than 700 dancers, will compete in the sixth edition of the Japanese Dance Festival "YOSAKOI" to be held on Saturday November 3. The competition, to be held at Efua Sutherland Children's Park in Accra, forms part of Ghana's 50th independence anniversary celebrations.

The Yosakoi Dance originated in Kochi, Japan after the end of the Second World War. "Yosakoi," in Japanese means "happiness will come", in a renewed reassurance to the people to put behind them tribulations they suffered during war.

Mrs Kazuko Asai, then Japanese Ambassador introduced the dance in Ghana six years ago to promote and deepen the cultural ties between the two countries.

In August this year, 20 Ghanaian students from Achimota Secondary School and St. Peter's Secondary School were in Japan on a cultural exchange tour and participated in one of the biggest Street Dance Festival in Japan called, "Super Yosakoi" held in Tokyo. Together with their Japanese counterparts, the Ghanaian students danced together, wearing Ghana Flag costumes to music specially made for the occasion by ace Ghanaian musician Batman Samini. The song was called "Yosakoi Yensa" with choreography by Batman's dancers.