Telema Set To Go Places

Where Ghanaians contemporary musicians have failed to shine on the international scene, some folkloric music and dance groups are daring to make an impact.

One of such groups is the 22-member African Telema Dance Ensemble based in Accra. The group which has been around for about 25 years has seen several generations of musicians.

The present crop of musicians has initiated moves to make their music and dance more appealing to the youth in Ghana and abroad. They have thus recorded a two-song CD album titled ?Tigra?.

They also intend to perform at many events home and abroad in order to sell their performances to people who hardly get the opportunity to see folklore groups in action.

In line with this, the group put up some splendid performances last weekend at two separate programmes held at the National Theatre and the Accra Conference Centre.

At the National Theatre they thrilled patrons of the Key Soap Concert Party on Sunday, May 2, after they had held the audience at the Conference Centre spellbound with a performance at the Akwaaba Ghana show held on May Day.

The group has specialities in the Patsa, Fume and Kpanlogo dances but also is also skilled in the major dances from all the 10 regions of the country. The leader of the group is Bernard Tackie.