For a couple of years now, Azonto has been the new dance craze that you just have to do whether you are dancing to Sarkodie or Lil’ Wayne. There have been some imitators and perpetrators, but the real Azonto reigns supreme. (Sorry Naija, but that Alingo stuff ain’t cutting it. Those upright elbows pose a problem in the club.)

Azonto has been huge in Ghana, obviously, and the rest of Africa. Then it made its grand entrance to London and the United Kingdom with some help from the British-born Ghana boy Fuse ODG, especially with Antenna. It was cool seeing the London All Stars do their Azonto thing, but I was hoping maybe, just maybe, it might finally touch down here in the US.

My salvation might be at hand in the form of the production company, Level 7. It warmed my heart to see Azonto done right in front of the 1 WTC, the Brooklyn Bridge, and just plain Suburbia Americana:

One derivative of Azonto that may take its time getting over here, or just disappear altogether is known as Alkayida. For some reason, with that name, I think it might have some trouble gaining traction here in the US. It may be blasphemous for a Ghanaian to say this, but aside from the fact that the music its associated with is boring, quite honesty, the dance is just not that good. See for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdMAn91wYWU.

With dances, there is always something new, whether they were classics like Zoblazo or a little more contemporary like Cat Daddy or my personal favorite, that chicken noodle soup with the soda on the side. I am still waiting to see some real cool dance come from white people, but for now, I’ll just have to settle with this. And this. Your move.

Further Reading

Goodbye, Piassa

The demolition of an historic district in Addis Ababa shows a central contradiction of modernization: the desire to improve the country while devaluing its people and culture.