Azaguno is a colorful and vibrant Multi-ethnic Ensemble international touring group focusing on research, preservation, education, and performance of traditional African, African American, Caribbean, and Latin American music and dance. The ensemble also creates contemporary intercultural works in new theatrical contexts that fuse the artistic and aesthetic cultural values and resources representative of African experiences in world history. Through the Drum, the Voice, the Dance, and other visual art forms, Azaguno brings a unique African theatrical experience to the stage. Azaguno, "a master drummer" among the Ewe people of Ghana in West Africa, was founded in 2001. The group has 8 musicians and 12 dancers. The group is co-founded and directed by Dr. Paschal Yao Younge, a native of Ghana who is currently a Professor of World Music at Ohio University, with Dr. Zelma Badu-Younge as Dance Director and Choreographer. Dr. Zelma Badu-Younge is also a Professor of African Dance and Jazz and Director of the School of Dance at Ohio University.
Members have trained and researched extensively in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Tanzania, and Togo in Africa, Canada, the Caribbean, and the United States. The group appeared at several national and international festivals and conferences in Canada, China, France, Germany, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. Some of the festivals include 2011 Taiwan International Percussion Convention, Seoul International Drum Festival, Taiwan International Percussion Summer Festival, Sacheon International Percussion Festival, Taiwan International Dance Festival, Lotus World Music and Arts Festival, Hsin Chu Folk Drum International Festival, Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Pan-African Historical Theater Festival, Festival International De Jazz De Montreal, Dancing on the Edge Festival, Canada Dance Festival, and France International Folkloric Festival.
The group also represented the US at the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony and Games in Seoul, Korea, 2002. All these experiences have enabled the group to create intense and intricate polyrhythmic sounds and mesmerizing and electrifying dance movements.
Other appearances include Taiwan International Percussion Convention, May 20-29, 2011, African Network Conference, Denison University, April 17, 2010, Workshop at the XI Biennial International, Symposium & Festival of CIMA (Center for Intercultural Music Arts at the Facultad de Educación y Humanidades of Melilla, of the Universidad of Granada: April 7-11, 2010, Anderson International Festival, SC, January 29 &30, Yilan International Rain Festival in Taiwan from July 24-August 24, 2009, Lotus Blossom Festival, Bloomington, Indiana, March 23-28, 2009, Educational Workshop and Performance, African Music, and Dance, at World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education “Respecting Traditions: Shaping the Future” the Kulin Nation, Melbourne, Australia December 7-11, Performance at the 28TH World Conference of the International Society for Music Education (ISME 2008), Bologna, Italy, July 20-25, 2008, Presentation at Africa Meets Asia Conference"- World Music Days - 2nd International Symposium on African and Chinese Music, Co-organized by Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing & Centre for Intercultural Musicology at Churchill College, Cambridge- 6-8 November 2007 Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing. China.
The group recently premiered new works in collaboration with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra in Hong Kong and China in November 2011 and the National Theatre of Ghana in Diema, Aza, and Agoro a Festivais and Concert of New Contemporary Music and Dance of Ghana in 2015, 2016 and 2018 respectively.
