Dance Your Heart Out

Susan and Rebekah flew into Accra in the early evening. When we took them to the apartment they were going to stay in for the night, we found all the furniture in the middle of the rooms because painters were painting the walls early that morning! I love life here, you never know what is going to happen. Sister Whitaker gave us sheets and pillows to made their beds and they left most of their luggage at our apartment. 

Then I took them to the church meeting house to have a dancing lesson in African dancing. I had asked Sister Kacher to come because I knew Rebekah and probably Susan would get up and dance if there was another white person with them. Sister Kacher LOVES to dance and has even taught African dancing before. She showed up and we had a really cool night of dancing and learning about different tribes dancing and culture. All of the different tribes used the drums and other instruments to dance with.  But the dances themselves were different motions and uses of arms, legs, head and torso. 

A group would get up and demonstrate their particular tribal dance and then Sister Kacher with Susan and Rebekah would try to imitate it to some degree of success or another. I do not have many photos as I was taking Marco Polo's for the grands, though I have two movie shorts I put up on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdOdyIfrpsU   and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnLujsgz7Ag  of the dancing.

The Youth got up and gave us a great rendition of a dance. It was great to watch their rhythm. None were exactly alike yet they were definitely doing the same motions and dance.

The adults kept the rhythm up with their instruments and clapping. Dumevi explained that babies learn rhythm on their mama's back when she lulls them to sleep with her swaying and when she walks with them in everyday life. Maybe that explains why everyone in Africa seems to have rhythm and beat without mussing up.

I did not know that this ward had so many different tribes represented in it. Each set of ladies and a few men would showcase one of their tribe's noted dance. The drums and instruments set a rhythm and each of the dances were uniquely different. One started out with heads low, and later when Dumevi was explaining about the cultures in the different tribes he explained that was in respect to the chief. All of the dances had meaning though I didn't catch all of what he talked about.

This dance was interesting in that we formed a line and moved back and forth and around each other. The kids stopped to watch Rebekah, Susan, and Sister Kacher. Margaret is going around low while Vera is going high. I do not know what it signified though the rhythm and fact that you use your whole body is typical of every tribal dance.

This is most of those who came. All from our ward and from different tribes. There were others that are not pictured. The Bishop's wife danced her own very elegant dance across the room, none of us attempted to copy her. Whatever tribe she comes from (it looks like at least two others were there) hold themselves in a regal erect smooth way and their dance reflect their bearing. 

Starting out

coming through

Finishing

I hope I caught this on a Marco Polo as the stills do not show her dance to advantage. Then she walked out of the room with her son (boy in blue at the door). The Bishop did dance with us and it looked like from a different tribe but maybe it was a different kind of dance. In the YouTube short he is in black and white shirt. I think everyone had a really good time and it was all due to Dumevi and his planning and decision to showcase lots of ward members.  He sat us down and talked about the different cultures found in Ghana and our ward and then we ended the evening with another dance.

After we had a goodbye picture, Vera started out with a goodbye dance and of course everyone had to jump in and try it. It ended the night in a really great way.

I had asked Prince's mom Sister Adriana to give everyone Fried Rice, chicken and salad. It was so nice to come home with a meal already prepared when we were so tired. I dropped the two of them off at their apartment and came home feeling happy and fulfilled. Lots of things planned for the next day.