Undergraduate Courses

The Dance Studies Department offers a diverse range of undergraduate courses designed to provide students with a solid foundation in dance theory, technique, history, and performance. Courses cover traditional African dances, contemporary and modern dance forms, choreography, dance notation, movement analysis, and dance production.

Through a balance of practical studio work and academic study, students gain the skills, knowledge, and creative confidence needed to excel as performers, choreographers, educators, and researchers in the field of dance.

 

Course Code Title
DANS 106 Dance Forms of Africa

Credit Hours - 3

Course Overview 

This course introduces students to the historical, social and political aspects of selected traditional Ghanaian dance forms. The relationship between the dances and the accompanying music will be examined. The course also deals with the origin, context of performance, as well as the costumes, props, make-up, musical instruments and other cultural/artistic/theatrical elements of the dances. 

 

Course Objectives

The course aims to

  • Help students understand the historical and cultural contexts and functions of Ghanaian dance forms. 
  • Enable students broaden their cross-cultural awareness. 
  • Guide students to develop skills in performing and appreciating Ghanaian dance forms. 

Reading List 

Adinku, W.O. (1994). African dance education in Ghana. Accra: Ghana University Press.

Bame, N. K. (1991). Profiles in African popular culture: Consensus and conflict: Dance, drama, festivals and funerals. New York: Clear Type Press. 

Kuwor, S.K. (2022). Agbadza Dance of the Anlo-Ewe; Cultural Knowledge Transmission in Ghana and its Representations in the Diaspora. Woeli Publishing Services Accra. 

Nagrin, D. (1997). The six questions: Acting technique for dance performances. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. 

Nketia, J. H.K. (1988). Ghana music dance and drama- A review of performing arts in Ghana. Accra: Information Services Department. 

Quaye, D. E. A. (2023). “Sɔkɔdae” A Dance Form from the Oti Region of Ghana, In Kuwor and Andrews (Eds.), The role and transmission of performing arts in ruralGhana, Woeli Publishing Services.

Younge, Y. P. (2011) Music and dance traditions of Ghana. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. 

 

DANS 103 Dance Forms of Ghana

Credit Hours - 3

Course Overview 

This course introduces students to the historical, social and political aspects of selected traditional Ghanaian dance forms. The relationship between the dances and the accompanying music will be examined. The course also deals with the origin, context of performance, as well as the costumes, props, make-up, musical instruments and other cultural/artistic/theatrical elements of the dances. 

The course aims to

  • Help students understand the historical and cultural contexts and functions of Ghanaian dance forms. 
  • Enable students broaden their cross-cultural awareness. 
  • Guide students to develop skills in performing and appreciating Ghanaian dance forms. 

Reading List 

Adinku, W.O. (1994). African dance education in Ghana. Accra: Ghana University Press.

Bame, N. K. (1991). Profiles in African popular culture: Consensus and conflict: Dance, drama, festivals and funerals. New York: Clear Type Press. 

Kuwor, S.K. (2022). Agbadza Dance of the Anlo-Ewe; Cultural Knowledge Transmission in Ghana and its Representations in the Diaspora. Woeli Publishing Services Accra. 

Nagrin, D. (1997). The six questions: Acting technique for dance performances. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. 

Nketia, J. H.K. (1988). Ghana music dance and drama- A review of performing arts in Ghana. Accra: Information Services Department. 

Quaye, D. E. A. (2023). “Sɔkɔdae” A Dance Form from the Oti Region of Ghana, In Kuwor and Andrews (Eds.), The role and transmission of performing arts in ruralGhana, Woeli Publishing Services.

Younge, Y. P. (2011) Music and dance traditions of Ghana. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. 

DANS 104 Introduction to Practical II

Credit Hours - 3

Carbohydrates Metabolism: Digestion of carbohydrates, glycolysis and fate of pyruvate in different organisms; tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle; pentose phosphate pathway and fate of reduced coenzymes; catabolism of monosaccharides other than glucose; gluconeogenesis, Calvin Benson cycle, Cori cycle, glyoxylate cycle; glycogenesis and glycogenolysis; regulation of carbohydrate metabolism; Diseases of carbohydrate metabolism. Aerobic metabolism of pyruvate, starvation and obesity. The coenzyme role of B vitamins. Changes in nutritional requirement and metabolic rate in injury and disease. Lipids Metabolism: Digestion of triacylglycerols; the different lipases (lipoprotein lipase, hormone-sensitive lipase); fate of glycerol; beta-oxidation of fatty acids; fate of products (acetyl and propionyl CoA, ketone bodies, reduced coenzymes); synthesis of fatty acids triacylglycerol, cholesterol; regulation of metabolism. Protein Metabolism: Digestion of proteins, transamination, deamination and decarboxylation of amino acids and the fate of ammonia (urea cycle) and carbon skeleton; metabolism of specific amino acids (aromatic and sulphur-containing amino acids); synthesis of amino acids; in-born errors of amino acid metabolism; regulation of metabolism. Enzymes as biological catalyst: Enzyme kinetics and concept of rate-determining step. Enzyme specificity and allosteric regulation. Mechanisms of enzyme action and examples. Coenzymes and vitamins. Drugs and their effect on enzymes.