Over the course of our first couple days in Accra, I was privileged to several enlightening experiences with the rest of the 2022 Media in Ghana cohort, which included lectures from esteemed professors at the University of Ghana (UG), an introduction to Ghana’s native arboreal life at the Abruni Botanical Gardens, a visit to the Anani Memorial International School, and so much more. While each of these experiences were unique in terms of what they taught me and how they shaped my perception of Ghanaian culture and life, the most impactful experience was also the one I was most apprehensive about: a lesson on traditional drumming and dancing at the UG School of Performing Arts with Professor Habib Iddrisu.

My apprehension about this lesson was both personal and cultural. Personally, I’m well aware of my sub-par dancing skills which, in turn, makes me nervous and self-conscious when dancing in front of other people. Culturally, traditional African dance is something that’s so foreign to me as a white man from Chicago, thus, heading into the lesson, I knew that I was going to be pushed to move my body in a way I never have before — all of which only heightened my anxiety.

As we unloaded off our bus and approached the stage where we would be having our lesson, drumbeats vibrated the wood floor in an arresting array of harmonious, powerful sound (See the video here). After Professor Iddrisu and his fellow performers welcomed us, he reassured everyone that the earth knows no such thing as bad dancing because all forms of expression and bodily movement are beautiful in their own right. With our shoes off, they began leading us through some simple movements, adding more and more complexity with time, and the energy on stage was utterly electric.

We were all in a safe space, free from observation or judgement, and all our faces were brimming with smiles and elation as we attuned our bodies to the rhythm of the drums. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t thinking while dancing, rather I was just listening and moving my body with the music which was an incredibly pure feeling. After we finished up and were drenched in sweat from the thick humidity, I felt more grounded in Ghana, more connected to everyone in the cohort, and more at peace with myself. I think this is the true power of dance, and I want to thank Professor Iddrisu and his colleagues for showing it to me.