Apatampa is a dance performed by the Fanti people in Ghana. Historically, It is believed that, the name of the dance was derived from an incident that happened a long time ago where a giant used to attack and kill Fanti men at night.
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Apatampa is a dance performed by the Fanti people in Ghana.
01 · What it is
Dance
Live movement, rhythm, costume, or staged dramatic performance passed between generations.
02 · Where & name
Ghana
Placed on record in Ghana.
03 · How it is doing
□□□□ (Not yet assessed)
Documented in open cultural records, but no cited field assessment of its current vitality has been added here yet.
04 · Proof & reuse
2 cited sources
Every claim links to a public record below. Free to quote, teach, and share under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Chapter Takeaways
InstrumentsInstruments used in performing the Apatampa include a large rectangular plywood sheet where drummers strike the open surface with their palms; a pitch metal whistle (aben) and castanet (afrikyiwa).
PerformanceThe dance starts with the individual creating a beat by hitting both thighs with both hands twice and clapping on the third beat.
Common Questions Answered on Record
What is Apatampa in plain words?
Apatampa is a dance performed by the Fanti people in Ghana.
Where is Apatampa practised or documented?
Sources on this page place Apatampa in Ghana.
What is the current condition of Apatampa today?
□□□□ (Not yet assessed): Documented in open cultural records, but no cited field assessment of its current vitality has been added here yet.
How do I cite or share this Apatampa entry?
Cite as: "Apatampa." folkroom, https://folkroom.org/art-forms/apatampa, text CC BY-SA, with attribution.
Apatampa is a dance performed by the Fanti people in Ghana. Historically, It is believed that, the name of the dance was derived from an incident that happened a long time ago where a giant used to attack and kill Fanti men at night. One night, when the giant was fighting the last man, a woman appeared and danced gracefully to distract the giant. She was praised for ending the fight (apata ampa). 1
Instruments
Instruments used in performing the Apatampa include a large rectangular plywood sheet where drummers strike the open surface with their palms; a pitch metal whistle (aben) and castanet (afrikyiwa). 1
Performance
The dance starts with the individual creating a beat by hitting both thighs with both hands twice and clapping on the third beat. The performer then beats their chest twice on the fourth and fifth beats. This is performed with a smile and cheerful expression while moving. The dance follows the rhythm of the instruments. 1
The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Apatampa”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. 1
Apatampa is Ghanaian traditional dance performed by the Fantes, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. 2