Cyber-Social Interaction: Ghanaian Popular Dance in the "Shifting Virtual Cypher" - Instagram
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Authors
Mattson, Benedictus
Date
2024-07-17
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Ghanaian Popular Dance , Mediatization , Critical Globalization , Instagram , Azonto , Shifting Virtual Cypher
Alternative Title
Abstract
Azonto dance, an expressive popular dance originating in Accra-Ghana in the early 2000s has achieved global recognition particularly due to its constant presence on social media. Due to Ghanaian youths’ neglect and marginalization and the constant control of mainstream media by the governmental and social elites, social media, and in particular, Instagram, has become an alternative platform for young people to explore to promote their crafts. I argue that this shift from performing Azonto dance in pubs, street corners, and other in-person cypher grounds to disseminating through virtual spaces has engendered profound choreographic transformations to the dance as well as complicated the economic conditions of deprived young Azonto dancers. This interdisciplinary research thus is a unique attempt to investigate these transformations that have occurred between 2017 to 2023, a phenomenon I explore through the productive conversations between critical globalization theory, mediatization and practice theory. My research methodology is a combination of digital ethnography and in-person participation, observations, and interviews, whilst my decade long experience in performing and teaching Azonto dance has informed my analysis of data. One of the major findings of my dissertation is how the activities of Azonto dancers on Instagram have facilitated the transformation of the Azonto dance cypher. I hence theorize the “Shifting Virtual Cypher” as way of conceptualizing how the Azonto dance cypher has changed over time. I conclude that although Azonto has gained worldwide recognition and may have enhanced youths’ economic conditions, it is crucial to be aware of the larger impact of the adverse effects of this extreme popularity.
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.