Adowa dance

Adowa is a dance by the Akan people of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. It is a popular traditional dance in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire and it is performed at cultural ceremonies like festivals, funerals, engagements, and celebrations. The Adowa dance is a sign of expression that allows performers to communicate their emotions and feelings through their hands and feet. There are different hand movements performed for each setting. People communicate positive emotions at weddings or engagements and negative emotions at funerals.^[1][2]

An Adowa ensemble consists of a lead singer, a chorus, and percussion instruments. The leader and chorus are almost always middle-aged women, who accompany themselves with hand-clapping and/or a double bell (dawure) or a single bell (atoke).^[1]