The two cultures came together Friday at St. Joseph Catholic School where the Saakumu Dance Troupe visited with students before a Friday afternoon performance.

The Dance Troupe was formed in 1997 and brings traditional and contemporary Ghanaian dance to schools and community groups across the country.

A 20 year connection is what facilitated the Troupe coming to St. Josephs on Friday.

Music Teacher Joseph Glarner was in a jazz band with Griffin Brady, a member of the Troup, traveling up and down the east coast.

Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Members of the Ghanaian Saakumu Dance Troupe dance with students at St. Joseph Catholic School on Friday.

They’ve stayed friends since then which opened the door for the group to come here.

Glarner explained that the Troupe is based in Buffalo and Ghanians come over for a couple months each year to tour.

Members met with each grade at the school throughout the day, teaching drumming and dance as well as cultural elements including language.

The whole school then came together in the afternoon for a dance-heavy performance. Brady said some of the dances presented date to hunter-gatherer times.

While it certainly made for a great way to end a school week, there was much more to it for the students.

“The drum instrumentation that happened today was amazing,” Principal Carrie Pearson said.

But it was the cultural experience that really stood out — she said the students were engaged and “embracing that whole piece. All of it.”