Towards the National Theatre Concept: A Model for the Development of Dance Education Within the Ghanian University System.

During the period under colonial rule Ghanaian traditional life styles were largely destroyed and foreign value systems imposed. Following independence in 1957 the concept of National Consciousness, which seeks to encourage models of traditional forms in all new developments, was proposed. This thesis addresses the need to introduce traditional dance into the Ghanaian University system in response to the concept of National Consciousness. The thesis is divided into two parts. Part One is a survey of traditional dance models and their significance for new developments, while Part Two examines these models as applied activities in dance eduction and theatre work. In Part One traditional dances and related arts are treated in Chapters 1 and 2 while the developments of concepts for national integration through the dances are treated in Chapters 3 and 4. In Part Two concepts of dance in education are examined in Chapter 5; the roles of dance in education as well as models in subject programming in Chapter 6 and curriculum development for first degree courses in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 looks at the contributions of the various Chapters to the development of an African orientated dance programme for education and theatre practice in emergent African societies. The study is limited to the Country of Ghana though the findings may have implication for other African countries