Entertainment
10th edition of Ghana Dance Festival announced
Organisers of the annual Ghana Dance Festival, Dancetera, have announced the dates for the 2024 celebration of dance’s biggest season.
The festival, marked with iconic dance events, is set to officially commence from August 29 to September 23, climaxing with an awards ceremony to celebrate the icons of dance and their immense contribution to the culture.
This, marking a decade of dance celebration, promises to be nothing short of exciting. As dance takes center stage in the entertainment space, the festival is certain to bring quality entertainment to all, while celebrating dancers and their works.
According to Robert Klah, CEO of Dancetera, “dance means different things to different people. For some it is a source of exercise, an act of worship, a source of entertainment, a career path to earn a living, a study course for academic achievement, a sport for engagement, an intangible cultural heritage, an expression of art.”
He said, “Whatever dance means to you, the dance festival seeks to express it. There are additions to this special edition, DanceSport League, which is the Dance Awards. For the former, dance being part of the Olympics is a great stride that needs the necessary local engagements to keep it active. For the latter, having the awards as part of the festival has been in the offing for long. This year, we are happy to pursue this path.”
Activities lined up to celebrate the 10th edition of the Ghana Dance Festival include, dance awards, tour experiences, dance parties, workshops, seminars and performances expressed through the following dance forms – theatre dance, street dance, folk dance, praise dance, afrolatin dance, dancesport battles and more.
This event is set to pull participation from international dancers, with confirmations coming from Togo, Benin, Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya. Ahead of the official launch slated for August, they have urged all dancers who wish to represent their passion to register via the Ghana Dance Festival social media pages.
The 10th edition of the Ghana Dance Festival is through a collaboration with the Dancers and DanceSport Association of Ghana (DDASPAG), and powered by Dancetera.
Entertainment
Stonebwoy joins American recording artiste Mashanda Faust and Atlanta-based musical group
Ghanaian dancehall and Afrobeats artiste Stonebwoy has joined American recording artiste Mashanda Faust and Atlanta-based musical group Hero The Band on “Wrong Toes”, a song featured on the official soundtrack of the upcoming action comedy film Boyz Trip.
The collaboration brings together musical talents from Ghana and the United States, offering another opportunity to showcase Ghanaian music to international audiences through cinema.
The film, scheduled for worldwide theatrical release in 2027, is set in Cape Town, South Africa, and combines action, comedy and African cultural influences.
According to information released by KeyScott Entertainment, the production company behind the project, the official music video for “Wrong Toes” was filmed at Cape Town Film Studios in South Africa, under the creative direction of Warren Gray, an award-winning creative director.
The song was written by Alan Key and Faten El Sayed, with Key originating the concept and Kyle Scott overseeing its creative development and execution alongside Faust.
Stonebwoy, known for his blend of Afrobeats, reggae and dancehall, contributes his distinctive sound to the international production, which seeks to connect audiences across Africa, North America, Europe and Australia.
The song forms part of a collection of original music being developed for the film’s soundtrack through KeyScott Entertainment’s music division, which focuses on original film music, music publishing, artist development and international collaborations.
Boyz Trip stars Desi Banks, Rome Flynn, Algee Smith and South African actor Siv Ngesi.
The story follows four longtime college friends who reunite for an international vacation in Cape Town, only for their getaway to descend into a chaotic adventure after they become entangled in the dangerous world of a notorious criminal known as Le Serpent.
The film is executive produced by Alan Key and Kyle Scott, co-founders of KeyScott Entertainment, an international film, and television and music Production Company headquartered in Brisbane, Australia.
Scott also directs the film, with Autumn Bailey-Ford as lead producer and Sarsha Venord and Jamez T. serving as co-producers. Ama K. Abebrese, Lya Castillo and Shayla Hill are associate producers.
The production is planning international premiere events in Cape Town, Atlanta, London, Los Angeles and Brisbane, with further details on its theatrical distribution, soundtrack releases and promotional activities expected ahead of its 2027 launch.
Stonebwoy’s involvement in the project adds a Ghanaian musical dimension to the production’s international appeal, placing his sound alongside American performers in a film that draws on African locations and cultural influences.
By spectator reporter
The National Film Authority (NFA) on Saturday launched the Cinema Train Initiative to improve access to cinema, strengthen film exhibition and rebuild the culture of cinema-going in Ghana.
The initiative, expected to provide a common platform for film producers, distributors, exhibitors and audiences to connect and create a sustainable market for Ghanaian films.
The Executive Secretary of the NFA, Kafui Danku Pitcher who announced the initiative at the launch, said limited access to cinema facilities and exhibition opportunities remained a major challenge confronting the country’s film industry.
She noted that while filmmakers invested considerable time and resources in producing films, many of their works struggled to reach audiences because of the limited platforms available for exhibition.
” We cannot build a sustainable film industry if we produce films without creating pathways for people to watch them,” she said.
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She explained that the initiative went beyond screening films, describing it as an effort to build an ecosystem where producers could showcase their works, distributors could connect content to markets and exhibitors could attract audiences.
She further urged Ghanaians to support the initiative by purchasing tickets, watching local films and encouraging others to patronise Ghanaian cinema.
The Executive Secretary called on corporate organisations and potential sponsors to invest in the initiative, saying their support would help expand cinema access, strengthen the creative economy and connect brands with audiences across the country.
He stressed that the success of the initiative required a collective commitment from all stakeholders, adding that the NFA was prepared to facilitate the partnerships necessary to advance the vision.
NFA board board Chairman, Mr Ivan Quashigah further demonstrated the Authority’s commitment by announcing plans to purchase tickets through the platform to support films currently available for screening.
He added that the platform seeks to bring key groups in the film industry onto one track:producers, distributors exhibitors and audiences.
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