[ 2011-12-31 ]

Ghana's Azonto Dance Craze Goes Global
A Ghanaian Dance Craze called Azonto ismaking
waves around the world and threatening to spawn
its own YouTube industry as dance enthusiasts try
to out do each other by posting the most hilarious
and most accomplished Azonto moves on the video
channel. The Azonto dance is said to have
orginated from the traditional Ghanaian dance,
Kpanlogo. Apaa (meaning work) was its original
name and it first started in down Town Accra areas
like Bukom, James Town, Chorkor and in the port
town of Tema. When Azonto friendly hip life is
played in clubs and house parties in these parts,
you can be guaranteed that the dance floor will be
packed with people shaking their hips, pointing
their fingers and sometimes mimicking the
performance of household chores like washing or
doing some ironing.

Perhaps its most famous fan is Ghanas World Cup
star, Asamoah Gyan, who in his goal celebrations
showed millions of football fans what Azonto was
all about. More recently, the most popular
Ghanaian hip hop stars such as Sarkodie, 4×4 and
Gasmillan have adopted the dance and arranged
their music beats to the movements of Azonto
dancers.

The world has seen lots of Dance Craze creations
ranginging from breakdancing, the Macarena, the
Twist and many more but few will beat the
exhilirating vigour, dynamism and sheer creativity
of Azonto!

Below are a couple of Azonto themed videos, the
last featuring Ghanaian actor Papa Nii entitled
Obuu Mo. The first two especially the one
entitled White Boy Doing the Azonto  indicates
the reach of Azonto outside the confines of down
town Accra.

Source - WorldBankGhana

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