BESA: The Beat of Belonging
Heritage. Identity. Belonging.
A new Afro-contemporary dance work exploring intergenerational connection, migration and cultural inheritance.
About the Work
BESA: The Beat of Belonging is a new Afro-contemporary dance work by Appiah Annan that explores the ways culture is carried, transformed and reimagined across generations.
Blending traditional Ghanaian dance, live music and contemporary choreography, the work reflects on identity, migration and belonging through deeply personal storytelling and powerful physical expression.
At its heart, BESA is a conversation between generations.
It explores what happens when cultural traditions travel across borders and into new environments, asking how heritage survives, evolves and remains relevant within contemporary multicultural societies.
The work celebrates the resilience of culture while acknowledging the complexities of living between multiple identities and worlds.
What Does BESA Mean?
BESA translates as “Come Dance” in the Akan language of Ghana.
More than an invitation to move, the word embodies the values that sit at the heart of the project:
- Connection
- Community
- Inclusion
- Storytelling
- Cultural exchange
Dance becomes a gathering place where people can connect to themselves, one another and their cultural heritage.
A Father–Daughter Story
At the centre of the work is a unique and deeply personal father–daughter collaboration.
Featuring Appiah Annan and his daughter Mina, BESA explores the passing of cultural knowledge from one generation to the next.
Through movement, music and shared performance, the work reflects on questions of identity and belonging experienced by many young people growing up between cultures.
It is both a personal story and a universal one.
A story about family, heritage and the ways culture continues to evolve through those who inherit it.
The Adowa Dance Tradition
A key source of inspiration for BESA is the Adowa dance tradition of the Ashanti people of Ghana.
Historically performed at festivals, ceremonies and important community gatherings, Adowa is renowned for its expressive hand gestures, intricate footwork and powerful storytelling qualities.
In BESA, traditional Adowa movement forms the foundation of a contemporary choreographic language that speaks to contemporary experiences of migration, identity and belonging.
Rather than preserving tradition as a fixed historical form, the work celebrates culture as a living, evolving practice.
Artistic Vision
BESA reflects Appiah’s long-standing commitment to creating contemporary performance that honours cultural heritage while speaking directly to contemporary audiences.
The work explores:
How do we remain connected to where we come from while embracing where we are going?
Through a fusion of traditional and contemporary movement, BESA creates a space where multiple identities can coexist and where cultural knowledge can be shared, celebrated and transformed.
Community & Cultural Leadership
The original vision for BESA extended beyond performance.
The project was conceived as an intergenerational artistic development program that would engage young artists of African descent in exploring their cultural heritage through dance, music and storytelling.
Developed in partnership with St Martins Youth Arts Centre, the project creates pathways for emerging artists while strengthening connections between culture, creativity and community.
Its focus on inclusion, participation and cultural exchange reflects the broader values that have guided Appiah’s artistic practice for more than two decades.
Work in Development
Following successful development support, BESA is currently evolving through a staged creative process.
The first phase focuses on artistic research, choreography development and performance exploration, culminating in a work-in-development presentation that lays the foundation for a future full-scale production.
This process allows the creative team to explore new movement ideas, deepen the relationship between traditional and contemporary forms and continue refining the artistic vision of the work.
Themes
- Intergenerational connection
- Identity
- Migration
- Belonging
- Cultural inheritance
- Family
- Community
- Heritage
- Transformation
Development Partners
- St Martins Youth Arts Centre
- City of Melbourne Arts Grants Program
BESA: The Beat of Belonging represents the next chapter in Appiah Annan’s ongoing exploration of Afro-contemporary performance.
Building on themes first explored in Sankofa, Mumo and Broken Pieces, the work continues his investigation into culture, identity and connection while opening new conversations about heritage, youth and the future of African-Australian storytelling.
