School Of Performing Arts Holds Workshop on Arts And Research

From left to right: Mr. Gameli Tordzro, an Alumni and research member of the RM Borders Team, Prof. Alison Phipps Lead Researcher all of the University of Glasgow, School of Education; Prof. Kofi Agyekum- Acting Dean of the School of Performing Arts and Dr. Joshua Amuah- Head, Department of Music.

The School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana in collaboration with the School of Education, University of Glasgow has organized a one-day workshop to create a platform for sharing ideas on existing arts expressions and to find and create new ways of creating artistic expressions.

In his opening address, Prof. Kofi Agyekum, the Acting Dean of the School of Performing Arts, underpinned the importance of such collaborative workshops. He was of the view that, collaborations of such nature created platforms where students and faculty could improve their research skills to enrich their academic knowledge base of the arts across multidisciplinary areas of research.

In his presentation, Prof. Kofi Agyekum expressed the need for body, language and national development to be used on an appropriate and even platform. He said for this to be done, an appreciation of the arts and in particular the performing arts is needed.

He said “an in-depth understanding of language can be used to document our culture. Our bodies serve as sources of emotions and provide some metaphorical sources. Cross-cultural metaphors such as ‘lose face’ translated to mean ‘m’anim agu ase’; ‘tightfisted implying ‘ne nsam yƐ den’ exist in all cultures around the world. Therefore development must be promoted through usage of appropriate language which is suitable to all and can be used by all.” He also underscored the importance of harnessing interdisciplinary experiences and backgrounds and performance skills to promote research development.

Mr. Daniel Appiah-Adjei, an Assistant Lecturer of the School of Performing Arts encouraged academics and non-academics to use African names in their works to preserve and store indigenous names and titles. He stressed the need to fall on the past and engage with it in the present for the conservation of African heritage and culture for posterity.

Dr. Emmanuel Kobena Kuto, a presenter also encouraged participants to learn the art of good articulation for greater integration within communities.

Prof. Alison Phipps, a professor of Languages and Intercultural Studies (Creativity Culture and Faith) at the University of Glasgow and the leader of the RM Borders Research Team said the project brings together an international team of researchers with their different disciplinary backgrounds, research experiences, language and performance skills. The project which is at the conception stage, conducts international comparative research on translation and interpretation at different kinds of borders in order to develop theory, ethical research practices and research methodologies in relation to multilingual research.

The workshop was infused with performances from the creative arts team from the RM Borders Team; Kofi Anthonio, an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Dance Studies, School of Performing Arts and a Graduate student Miss. Abigail Atsugah of the Dance Studies Department.

The Association of Students of Performing Arts – ASPA also thrilled participants with a performance that sought to communicate the need for effective open communication within the different backgrounds of society.

The workshop was attended by academics from within and outside the University of Ghana. It was also held in partnership with the National Theatre of Ghana and the Noyam African Dance Institute.

                  

Dance Performance by Mr. Kofi Anthonio, an Assistant Lecturer of the Dance Studies Department, SPA