The Ghana Dance Festival 2026 has begun in Accra, with a seven-day programme of performances, workshops, dance battles, seminars and social dancing.

The festival opened on Tuesday, 15th September 2026, with a Social Dance session with KwanPa at Zen Gardens, Labone, featuring Highlife, Jama, Traditional and Azonto dances.

Organised by Dancetera, the festival will run until Monday, 21 September, with activities scheduled at various venues across Accra. Its programme combines different forms of dance with workshops, battles, seminars and social events.

The programme continues on Wednesday, 16th September, with Akwaba Night with AKC at Coconut Grove Regency Hotel at 6:30pm, followed by an after-party with Kiz Infinity at Luna Bar, Soho, Airport, from 10pm.

On Thursday, 17th September, dancers will gather at the African Regent Hotel, Airport, for the Salsa Rave (The Reunion), featuring lessons and socials from 7pm.

Friday, 18th September, will feature a Kizomba Rave, also comprising lessons and socials, at Accra City Hotel in the Accra Central Business District from 7pm.

The festival’s Grand Finale is scheduled for Saturday, 19th September, at Alliance Française, Airport, beginning at 9am and continuing into the night.

The Grand Finale will feature performances, workshops, dance battles, seminars and social dancing.

On Sunday, 20th September, the festival will move to Rehab Beach Club at South Labadi Estates for the El Partido Afro Latin Rave, featuring Salsa, Kizomba, Bachata and Afro from 6pm until late.

The seven-day celebration will conclude on Monday, 21st September, with Aerobics and Celebrity Games at the Aviation Social Centre, Airport, from 6am to 2pm. The activities will include football, basketball and table tennis, among others.

The Ghana Dance Festival has been running for more than a decade, with the maiden edition launched in Accra in 2015. Organiser Robert Klah said at the time that the festival was created to celebrate dance, bring dancers together and help practitioners develop sustainable careers in the industry. 

The 2023 edition, described as the ninth, featured a grand opening, Afrolatin dance activities, workshops, seminars and battles before climaxing with a pool party. 

In 2024, the festival marked its 10th edition with an Afrolatin Congress, dance parties, workshops, seminars and performances. The edition also introduced the Ghana DanceSport League, with Team Hubes Dance Crew winning the inaugural competition at the Alliance Française d’Accra. 

The 2026 festival continues that focus on different expressions of dance, bringing together social, traditional, contemporary and competitive dance activities across a week of events in Accra.

Beyond entertainment, the Ghana Dance Festival is designed as a development platform for Ghana’s dance industry.

The festival creates opportunities for dancers and dance organisations to network, share knowledge, develop their craft and explore the business possibilities within dance. It also encourages conversations about professional standards, training, representation, employment and the contribution of dance to Ghana’s creative economy.

According to Robert Klah, CEO of Dancetera, “a major focus of this year’s AfroLatin programme will be the commencement of a process towards establishing an industry association. The festival will provide a platform for stakeholder engagement and the beginning of a membership drive involving different dance domains.”

The process is expected to continue after the festival, leading towards the formal launch of the association and the inauguration of its executives at the Ghana Dance Industry Awards in the first quarter of 2027.

This initiative is intended to promote greater coordination, professional development, advocacy and collaboration within the sector.