Nana Kwasi Anim
Nana Kwasi Anim is a force of nature - an extraordinary master African dancer, drummer, instructor, performer and choreographer whose joy and passion are infectious. He also plays bamboo flute.
Nana was born in Accra, Ghana, West Africa into a Royal family where traditional drumming and dancing is part of every day life. He started dancing and drumming at the age of six, at the age of eight he was already playing the Royal drums and dancing the Royal dance (Fontonfrom).
For many years he trained with several dance troupes, including the Ghana Cultural Ballet at the Center for National Culture, and the Dance Factory of the National Theater of Ghana. Traveling throughout the West African countries he studied dance and culture indigenous to these areas.
Traveling to Berlin, Germany, when the country was united in 1990, Nana choreographed a function called “Unity”. Collaboration with various groups brought Nana to many other countries such as Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium and the USA.
For the 1994 “Panafest” in Ghana, Nana partnered with the group “Ekome” from the UK, displaying a dance about the slave trade. A few years later he was chosen to lead the group “Dance Factory” from the National Theater. Dancing with the Ghana Cultural Ballet at the Emancipation Festival in 1998 he again portrayed the African slave trade. The same year Nana choreographed a performance called ‘Anigye’ for former US president Bill Clinton, welcoming him to Ghana. Later that year he formed his own group “Wassa Pan Afrika Dance Ensemble” and they have since performed throughout Europe and West Africa, including being invited to participate in the Humanitarian Program in Italy in 2000.
For Ghana’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, Nana was selected to team up with three instructors from China to choreograph the performance.
In late 2007 he came to USA with a group called ‘Nkanbom’ for a fundraiser to build a center for orphans in Ghana.
He has established himself in the United States where he founded another dynamic, multicultural drum and dance ensemble called Wassa Pan Afrika Dance Ensemble (USA).
These are just a few of the many accomplishments Nana has achieved. He is a man of many talents and an artist that strives for excellence. His vision is to promote Unity, in that we are all the same. He believes that drumming and dance is the vehicle with which to achieve this goal.
Nana was born in Accra, Ghana, West Africa into a Royal family where traditional drumming and dancing is part of every day life. He started dancing and drumming at the age of six, at the age of eight he was already playing the Royal drums and dancing the Royal dance (Fontonfrom).
For many years he trained with several dance troupes, including the Ghana Cultural Ballet at the Center for National Culture, and the Dance Factory of the National Theater of Ghana. Traveling throughout the West African countries he studied dance and culture indigenous to these areas.
Traveling to Berlin, Germany, when the country was united in 1990, Nana choreographed a function called “Unity”. Collaboration with various groups brought Nana to many other countries such as Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium and the USA.
For the 1994 “Panafest” in Ghana, Nana partnered with the group “Ekome” from the UK, displaying a dance about the slave trade. A few years later he was chosen to lead the group “Dance Factory” from the National Theater. Dancing with the Ghana Cultural Ballet at the Emancipation Festival in 1998 he again portrayed the African slave trade. The same year Nana choreographed a performance called ‘Anigye’ for former US president Bill Clinton, welcoming him to Ghana. Later that year he formed his own group “Wassa Pan Afrika Dance Ensemble” and they have since performed throughout Europe and West Africa, including being invited to participate in the Humanitarian Program in Italy in 2000.
For Ghana’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, Nana was selected to team up with three instructors from China to choreograph the performance.
In late 2007 he came to USA with a group called ‘Nkanbom’ for a fundraiser to build a center for orphans in Ghana.
He has established himself in the United States where he founded another dynamic, multicultural drum and dance ensemble called Wassa Pan Afrika Dance Ensemble (USA).
These are just a few of the many accomplishments Nana has achieved. He is a man of many talents and an artist that strives for excellence. His vision is to promote Unity, in that we are all the same. He believes that drumming and dance is the vehicle with which to achieve this goal.
