Ghanaian former dance champion, Adjetey Sowah has shared his incredible journey to becoming the World Dance Champion of 1986.
He recounted how he saw the world’s dancing competition in 1984, recalling that during those times one did not require a visa to be able to travel to London.
“I thought going to London was just like taking a car and you go to Kumasi or wherever”, Adjetey Sowah said.
The former dance champion recalled when he went to the airport to check on the flight and upon reaching he met a guy who was also traveling to London and they exchanged contact.
Explaining his arrival to London, he was put in detention because he did not go with the required documents, adding that he called the guy he had met at the airport to come to his rescue because he could easily move out of the place looking at how the detaining place was.
“Like I’m saying when God is on your side, certain things happen. I was on detention to be deported anyway”, he expressed.
“I called the guy and I told him ‘When coming don’t write your address, whatever…’ So when he came to visit, they called my name, and around 30 minutes or one hour time they were like ‘All visitors out’, so I just followed this guy and just got out. I left my bag, my passport, my everything”.
Adjetey Sowah
He recalled that on their arrival in London, he called his father that he had arrived in London, adding that he had not informed his dad about his trip.
Adjetey Sowah further revealed that his father was a dancer and part of ‘Rock and Roll’ dancers, so his dad introduced him [Adjetey Sowah] to a friend of his [Dad] in London.
He disclosed that when he was introduced to the competition in 1985, they had already selected every country partaking in the competition and they were about to start.
“They asked me what shows that I’m a dancer or whatever it is so I had to present the videotape of a teaser of 1984 showing that I’m a winner. So that was when they registered me for the 1986 competition”, Adjetey Sowah revealed.
He asserted that he was not thinking of being a winner but wanted to be part of the 8 finalists so that Ghanaians could see what he was capable of doing but it happened that he became the winner of the competition.
The 1986 World Dance Champion said that he created the ‘Akukor’ dance at the time of his dancing career. Also, he revealed that he had competitors back in the day and they were Reggie Rockstone, Akosua Agyapong, Gabby Adjetey, and Eric Don-Arthur, among others.
Adjetey Sowah downplayed his education
Adjetey Sowah said that he downplayed his education during his youthful ages because he earned a lot of money from dancing.
He indicated that the colossal amount of funds he garnered from dancing made him neglect education and focus on dancing.
According to him, due to his prowess in dancing, almost every event organizer in Accra invited him to perform and he ensured he was paid before honoring the invitation.
Adjetey Sowah stated that his education credentials are not good enough because he was swayed by the gargantuan money he was earning from the dancing competitions.
“All around the country, Tamale, everywhere. I mean Accra alone, sometimes on weekends, there is a lot of competition maybe 8 or 9 events. I am part of everything and before I go, I take money first. I go everywhere including Dansoman, Teshie, Circle, Spark Centre, and Apollo Theatre. I will be there and after doing my bid, I go to another place, perform, take my money, and come back”.
Adjetey Sowah
