Azonto Festival To Shake Ghana

Ghana’s music industry is set to witness another remarkable event with the launching of the first ever, Azonto Festival.

Being organized by FlashMob Ghana, an independent entertainment company that specializes in flash mob dance, event organizing and modelling, the festival would be launched tonight at the Coconut Groove Hotel in Accra, where organizers will explain what Azonto Festival is all about.

The event, according to a release this week, was targeted at “creating a platform to market made in Ghana brands culturally through the Azonto dance around the globe”.

Funny Face on Azonto move

Majid Michel on Azonto move

Organizers assured Ghanaians, United Kingdom citizens and the rest of the world to watch out for diverse forms of Azonto with the upcoming festival.

Azonto is currently the first Ghanaian dance to get international attention. There is some kind of confusion over how it originated but today entertainment observers would always credit it to music icons, Gasmilla, Sarkodie and soccer-star-turned-musician Asamoah Gyan.

The dance involves a wildly excited or uncontrolled set of hand movements that either mimic everyday activities or are meant to signal an often amusing intention. It begun with one or two step movements but has been advanced to more complex and almost acrobatic movements. Just like most African dances, knee bending and hip movements are elements to dancing it.

The dance has effectively evolved from a few rudimentary moves to embrace depictions of ironing, washing, driving, boxing, grooming, praying, swimming, and others.

Generally, the dance reflects the creativity and sense of humour of the Ghanaians. The dance is usually performed with an accompanying smile, evolved from the combination of several local dance moves. It has evolved with the fast pace dance culture of modern West Africa.

Hence, the upcoming festival is anticipated to give Azonto another definition.

By Francis Addo NEWS-ONE