FOLLOWING A brief Christmas break, music and dance performances at the popular Mercredis de la Paillote will open at the Alliance Française in Accra on Wednesday, January 13, 2010.

Groups lined-up for the month of January and February includes Noko Ye Dzen Cultural Troupe, Karmah Band, Lorlonyo Cultural Troupe, Dza Nyomo Dance Ensemble, Bemefe Ayilo and Tsooboi Ensemble.

The Noko Ye Dezen Cultural Troupe will mount the stage on Wednesday January 13 for the first performance of the year with traditional and contemporary dance pieces that have been laced with their own influences. Accompanied by loud African drums, the group is set to showcase a couple of new creations.

Wednesday January 20 will be the turn of the Karmah Band, who will delight fans with a variety of music that ranges from highlife, blues, rock, reggae and jazz. Led by guitar wizard Alfred Young, the group will equally surprise the audience with some fresh compositions.

The Lorlonyo Cultural Troupe will on Wednesday January 27 entertain traditional music and dance lovers with pieces from various parts of Ghana. Based at Tesano, a suburb of Accra, the group will also present dance pieces with their own variations.

Known for their highly energetic dance pieces, the Dza Nymo Dance Ensemble will mount the stage on Wednesday February 3. Led by smooth dancer Edward Dogbe, the group will present a number of contemporary pieces laced with movements from Ghanaian traditional dances alongside an assortment of various Ghanaian and African drums.

On Wednesday February 17, a Burkinabe group, Bemefe Ayilo, will showcase folk music from Burkina Faso. With a number of stringed traditional instruments, the group will thrill the audience with music rooted deep in Burkinabe traditions that have been interspersed with modern rhythms.

The Tsooboi Ensemble will close the curtain for the month of February with a performance on Wednesday February 24. Noted for traditional, recreational and folk Ga music, the group is set to reveal the rich musical traditions of the Gas.

Mercredis de la Paillote is sponsored by the Alliance Française in collaboration with the French Embassy in Accra.