Gota is a social dance performed by youth in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is a community dance primarily amongst the Ewes.
Usually a duet for the opposite sex, the dancers use the non-verbal language of dance through flexible torso and pelvic movements.
This movement flow is interjected with a sharp silence freeze. This pause is unique in its own right because that total silence is part of the Gota music and dance.
The master drummer commands the entire dance piece. The music is polyrhythmic, interwoven in a fabric of sound created by many distinct and contrasting phrases played simultaneously.
The basic rhythm of each instrument is carefully crafted to contribute to the power of the overall rhythm. As the parts repeat, the players reach their aesthetic goal: a beautifully integrated whole with subliminal nurturing undercurrents to elevate the mind and soul.