African viral dance styles of 2020
A continent as diverse and rich in culture as Africa has so much to offer when it comes to dance. Dance has always been a central part of African culture and expression. It embodies the spirit of Africa; its vibrant energy and rhythmic musicality. In recent times, African dance videos have amassed millions of views on Youtube and other social media platforms. Not just in Africa, but all across the world. Read about the five African dance styles that went viral in 2020, and why.
A brief history of dance in Africa
Before we get to the videos, a brief look at the history of dance in Africa reveals its importance in African culture.
Across all 54 nations in Africa, traditional dance can be loosely separated into three categories:
- Ritual- In tribes, ritual dance served many purposes. It is said to have been able to: seek guidance from holy spirits, honour the dead, find solutions for tribal and family problems and summon the spirits of ancestors. The Mbira dance from Zimbabwe, for example, is said to have allowed the Shona people a “telephone to the spirit world.”
- Ceremonial- is the centre of celebration and ceremony. From weddings and anniversaries to rites of passage and coming-of-age. These dances bring the community together and are an important vehicle of cultural expression and emotion.
- Griotic, (or storytelling)- reserved for the storyteller (or griot) of a tribe or community. Griotic dance holds significant value in African tradition. It was vital for passing on and maintaining the oral history and cultural values of a tribe or community.
Although separated into three categories, these dance styles share common qualities; an essence of what makes them African. They are elaborate, skilful and sophisticated. Their use of physicality and aesthetic captures the African spirit. Traditionalists note that African dance embodies life experiences, pleasure and sensuality, all into one art medium. This ability to transform even the most mundane aspects of life into something magical is striking. For example, the Ziglibit is a dance from the Ivory Coast which transformed the monotonous action of stamping corn into an exuberant and rhythmic dance style.
This notion extends into the years during the slave trade. Amongst suffering and hardship, dance once again found its way to the forefront. It was an important tool for communication, morale and ensured that the cultural traditions of home were not lost in new foreign lands. The spirit of Africa and a sense of community lived on through dance.
Traditional dance in a modern world
Fast-forward to the late 20th and early 21st centuries and African dance styles have retained much of their traditional heritage. Whether telling a story, celebrating a wedding or honouring those who have gone, its essence remains. It is an important part of African community and identity.
But whilst much of the spirit and function of African dance may have remained, its audience has changed. Technological advancements have allowed media to spread beyond their original audiences. For African dance, this means that it can now be consumed and enjoyed beyond the continent and all over the world.
The emergence of Afropop has gone hand in hand with the rise of social media and video sharing platforms. In 2011, then 21-year-old Nigerian artist Wizkid released an album that drew more global attention to Africa. Superstar offered songs that switched between English, Pidgin and Yoruba. These songs were extremely danceable and a proliferation of African dance styles, both new and old, was connected to the wider world more than ever before.
African dance videos that went viral
Taking it forward to 2020, African dance has seen itself frequently enter the realm of ‘viral’ video and dance ‘craze.’ The infectious rhythms and moves so famous of Africa have racked up millions of online views. Let’s take a look now at five African dance videos that went viral in 2020.
Jerusalema
Covid-19 made 2020 a bleak year. But a breath of fresh air came out of South Africa in 2020 to bring joy back to the faces of millions. In 2019, the song Jerusalema would become the start of a viral trend. Read our article about it here.
Performed by Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode, Jerusalema is an upbeat gospel-dance song that is a lamentation for God to bring the singer to the heavenly city. It currently has 250 million views on Youtube. This year, it became part of a viral dance craze when a group of friends from Angola filmed and synchronised their own brilliant dance moves to the track. The video sees the group begin dancing whilst holding on to their dinner plates and continuing to eat. The earth-centred and polyrhythmic moves in this routine are archetypal of the rhythms and spirit of traditional African dance styles. South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa applauded the dance. He said it was a sign of the nation’s positive spirit in such difficult times. The internet helped spread the South African spirit across the world to inspire people everywhere to attempt the Jerusalema dance themselves.
Zaouli- The most impossible dance in the world
The Zaouli dance is associated with the Guro people of the Ivory Coast. It pays homage to feminine beauty but is performed by a male. The Guro dancer wears an elaborate costume and female mask representing the daughter of Zaoul- Djela Lon Zaouli- the daughter of lions. The Chief Hyppolite Anoh of the artistic troupe Sotheca explains that the mask connects the wearer to the spirit world. This is what possesses them with the superhuman powers required to perform the incredible routine. The label ‘most impossible’ dance saw it become viral in 2020 with many trying to attempt it themselves. It’s clear why!
The Zaouli dance is valued in African tradition for bringing together the community and inspiring positive energy. But with people everywhere now able to watch the visually stunning and technically brilliant display of footwork, the positive vibes are far reaching.
The John Vuli gate challenge
Recently trending on Twitter was the ‘#JohnVuliGateChallenge.’ Here it is:
This one comes from South Africa(yet) again. The John Vuli gate craze was born when 4 South African women at a petrol station copied a dance called the ‘Sdudla.’ This dance style was made famous by Limpopo Boy a year earlier when he danced to a song by South African duo Mapara A Jazz. The song itself was made from sampling the famous scene from the South African movie ‘Tsotsi’ where the character Pumla runs from his car in a storm and screams “John vuli gate” (John open the gate).
In South Africa, ‘Sdudla’ is a colloquial term for ‘curvy women’. As with the Zaouli dance previously, at the heart of this trend is a celebration of female beauty and African rhythm.
Masaka Kids Africana- Together We Can
This video already has over 12 million views on Youtube. It comes from the Masaka Kids Africana Orphanage in Uganda for children who have lost one or both of their parents. You can watch it here:
This heart-warming video is down to Dubai-based dancer Karina Palmira who we recently interviewed. Karina saw the natural talent that the Ugandan children had for dance. Their natural moves have been passed down through generations of African tradition. She felt compelled to create a new initiative at the Masaka orphanage for these gifted children. The message is simple- “to use dance as a vehicle for positive change.” Just like those dance styles from centuries ago, these children tell a story. A story that from hard times can come new-found joy and positivity. We hope the message spreads far and wide during a bleak 2020.
The Poco Dance
The Poco dance was made famous by Nigeria’s Poco Lee. Poco is currently one of the most famous names in Nigeria and his dance moves have taken the world by storm. Poco says, “A street video of me dancing went viral…ever since everyone wants to work with me!” Poco’s rise to fame has been sensational and the ‘Poco Dance’ is now a fully-fledged song featuring Papayan. You can see it here:
The Poco dance has led to millions trying to imitate his agile moves. His ‘leg-work’ routine contains all of the characteristics of African dance at its best. A video tutorial on how to do the moves has over a million views itself:
Final thoughts
The special ingredients that make African dance styles so special will continue to capture the attention of those not only back home, but in the world. These viral videos show that African dance still has the ability to tell stories of hope, spark spiritual connections and entertain. The bold colours and beautiful costumes. The natural rhythm and fluid moves. It will be no surprise to see many more dance trends on platforms like YouTube and Facebook. The essence of Africa continues to inspire. And during these difficult times, we need it more than ever.
