African Dancing By CEO Dancers On Britain's Got Talent TV Show (2013)

Edited by Azizi Powell

UPDATE: February 11, 2017 - with additional YouTube comments

This pancocojams post showcases a video of the CEO Dancers on a 2013 "Britain's Got Talent" show. Selected comments from this video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

I've included some explanations for some of the terms that are included in these comments, with particular attention to the use of African American Vernacular English by a number of these commenters many of whom identify themselves as being from Nigeria or Ghana.

The Addendum of this post provides information in this post is given about the Nigerian Etighi dance that the CEO dancers performed on this show since a number of commenters in the discussion thread for the video that is embedded below wrote that that dance isn't "Azonto" but is the Nigerian Etighi dance, information about that dance is also included in this post.

The Addendum also provides information about the origins and meanings of the first names of these three dancers.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copy rights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the CEO dancers and thanks to all those who are featured in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: CEO DANCERS Britain's Got Talent HD 2013 Week 2 Azonto



Yavo stanislas geofrroy, Published on Dec 29, 2016
-snip-
Here are selected comments from a previously available version of this video's discussion thread that was published in 2013. These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.

The title of the video that I had initially used for this post incorrectly identified this dance as "Azonto". That video publisher also wrote in his or her summary that the dancers were performing "a new dance", but actually the CEO dancers were performing a very old Nigerian dance called "Etighi".

Note: After I realized that the initial video that I used for this post was no longer available, I added more comments from its viewer comment thread which unfortunately was also deleted.

Feb. 11, 2017 *:09 PM - For the folkloric record, I've added even more selected comments from this now deleted viewer comment thread.

2013

[In response to comments about the CEO dancers performing a new dance.]
1. El-giva Stephen
"Actually first saw my mum dancing etighi before i watched d video. the dance is great. Akwaibom isong oh, iya."*

**
2. Hey Queen
"ayye my mom said she used to be in competitions with this dance nd she was with dah men doin it ayye swaaag akwa ibom isongooo"*
-snip-
*Read the information in the Addendum about the Etighi dance that comes from Nigeria's Cross River State which was formerly known as Akwa Ibom.

**
3. Aileru Tajudeen
CEO dancer thank you for taking African music to the stage...lovely dance

**
4. JustForYou♥
"Why is there azonto in the title??...they did the etighi not azonto..."
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/ghanaian-azonto-dance-history-videos.html for a pancocojams post on Azonto dances.

**
5. Angelo de Veer
This is not azonto at all !!

**
6.Diana Ruramai
"Makes me a proud African, show them how to Etighi!"

**
7. Nae xvi
"wooow yall wait there man that wasnt AZONTO! it only nija things an it was really good african is going to rule the world soon but that wasnt AZONTO. AZONTO IS FROM GHANA NOT NIGERIA"

**
8. ondonshaf
"Ghana, Nigeria.....Chill out and Just be proud to be African!"

**
9. HGsoul4ever
"It's not azonto. It's etighi and soukous from Nigeria and DRCongo respectively. Get ur facts straight, honey."

**
10. Nicole Collins
"There was no Azonto. That was etighi. The song is called Kukere by Iyana :-)"

**
11. Nae xvi
"Good dance but not azonto at all n i hate the way people think stuff like this is AZONTO"*
-snip-
I think that this dance may have been identified as "Azonto" because the Azonto dance has been promoted to at least a limited extent in Britain and in the USA and Britain and few people in those nations have ever heard of the Etighi dance.

**
12. Ugochukwu Nnaji
"everybody dey hail the dancers nobody even dey acknowledge the DJ wen dey remix those wicked beats. I beg I hail u jare"
-snip-
The commenter is using Nigerian Pidgin English to complain that although everyone is praising the dancers no one is even acknowledging the work that the dj did in remixing the three dance songs that the dancers performed to.

**
13. 100904usc
"I love those names!!!!!! oh gosh! My search is over my daughter (about to be born in 4 mths) Ezaneh and nobeleh...somebody help me spell it!!!"

**
14. Brionna Sade
Smh, the female judges looked like true haters.
-snip-
"smh" shake my head [in disgust, exasperation etc].

Read more comments below that explain the expressions that the female judges made at the beginning of this video.

**
15. Stylesby Mercy
"FINALLY! AFICAN DANCING!! HRRRRRRRRR BEEN WAITING FOR DIS MANNNN"

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16. Praise Eniola
"I love that they brought the African thing in there.... They were amazing"

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17. AOAbankwaa
"These girls are amazing dancers. I love how they rep Africa"
-snip-
"rep"= African American Vernacular English clip of the word "represent"

**
18. Nae xvi
"wooow yall wait there man that wasnt AZONTO! it only nija things an it was really good african is going to rule the world soon but that wasnt AZONTO. AZONTO IS FROM GHANA NOT NIGERIA"

**
19. Adaora Onyinanya
"Nigerians are taking over.!!! YESSS.! -3.

**
Reply
20. John P
"Azonto is Made in Ghana and by Ghanaians...get ur facts right ! jeez !"

**
Reply
21. Joshua Odagwe
"@john paaks..and perfected by nigerians"

**
Reply
22. |Da African gamer
"You must be joking right? O.o"

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Aminata Diallo
23. "I love Africa to the fullest. God Bless You Mother Africa"

**
24. Erhiga Ekhama
"OMG!!!!!! THUMBS UP TO NAIJA SONG"
-snip-
"Naija" is a contemporary informal way of referring to "Nigeria".

**
25. Eunice
"congrats ladies!
way to rep Africa!"

**
26. jamil abdulai
"Africans..see the broader picture."

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27. mara stevens
"I'm Jamaican and so proud ..... Nigerians are amazing" [followed by the internet symbol for love]

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28. lotrigger4
"This makes me real PROUD to be African american"

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29. Tina Love
"It was Kukere by Iyana, but they made it faster, if you want it faster maybe check out the Alvin and the chipmunks version, and it was also Oliver Twist by Dbanj."

****
2014
30. Justin Thyme
"Hmm I can't actually find the right remix version of Kukere by Iyanya they danced to...Anyone know if it's available?"

**
31. Fresh4eva
"this is not azonto misleading title but still good"

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32. mimi428
"Love these girls"

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33. Baby Sage
"I'm very proud of them.
it does not matter what country they come from,
Africa is Africa we all are beautiful!!!"

**
34. Rose Christéphane Banatte
"kukere !!!!!! im haitian,i have african's blood also. kukere!!!!"

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35. Elizabeth Aladesuru
"TEAM AFRICA# BUT U GUYS NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE DANCING TO NIGERIAN MUSIC."

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36. Angel Duah
"I love u girls ,great routine ,amazing personality ,u truly represent Africans ,keep it real!"

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37. ††internet princesa††
"It's so nice when you're African to see dances that your family does at family gatherings."

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2015

38. IamJadeAmin
"Ah ah go girls..some sick moves i swear. 😄"
-snip-
"sick"= African American Vernacular English term meaning "very good".

**
39. Octavian
"Im from Ghana and they made our country proud"

**
Reply
40. odinese nwad
"Sh&t* ain't from ghana bro.."
Its Nigerian.
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled in this comment.

**
Reply
41. Jachimma Nwachukwu
"+NEXUS THE MVP I think they're South African & Nigerian"
-snip-
I think that NEXUS THE MVP changed his name to Octavian.

**
Reply
42. srk ELF
"+NEXUS THE MVP I'm from africa and they made us africans proud"

**
Reply
43. Octavian
"+srk ELF I KNOWWWWW THATS WHAT I WAS SAYING"

**
Reply
44. Shearon Beatòn
"I am a african girl and they made me proud"

**
Reply
45. Octavian
"+Shearon Beatòn THATS WHAT IM SAYING"

**
Reply
46. phipholin0
"+odinese nwad
I think he refers to the fact they were dancing azonto which originally started in Ghana."

**
Reply
47. lia partel
"+phipholin0 they are not dancing azonto!!!.....there was no azonto moves in this video at all.....they did dance (ETIGHI) which originates from Nigeria....but there was no azonto moves being done in this video."

**
Reply
48. Octavian
"+lia partel look as long as they are from africa then i am proud"

**
49. ogoo Godwin Aniukwu
"so fantastic you girls got it all, proudly Africa one love keep it up"

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50. Fajr Fehintola
"U see those girls were from Nigeria and their out fit and music people think Nigerians are nit good cause some r pour but the rocked it and proved them wrong ( all Nigerians dance like that even at parties no lie) even me even though I'm 11years old "

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Reply
51. Only Nneka
"Only Soliat (Yoruba) and Ezinne (Igbo) are Nigerian. Nqobile is from South Africa."

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52. Chzurly Manguerra
"What dance trick or what name of the trick did the tallest girl did? Who knows? Thanks :)"

**
Reply
53. Stephanie Bolondo
"Are you referring to the death drop?"

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Reply
54. Chzurly Manguerra
"Oh yeah yeah! Thanks very much :)"

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55. Jemela Knight
"The second song is An Igbo song, thar song plays everytime at My igbo partys"

**
Reply
56. lia partel
""kukere" is not a (igbo song), it is a (efik song) by iyanya....but all in all it is a Nigerian song".

**
57. Asiphe Ngcepe
"Amanda and Alesha seem rude though"
-snip-
These are the names of the female judges on that tv show.

**
Reply
58. Gene Ony, 2016
"Not really. I guess someone, Simon most likely had annoyed the group prior to CEO dancers' audition, plus everyone of them thought that CEO were just going to show some Beyoncé moves, but we're pleasantly surprised."

**
59. Gab Papp
"Amanda and alesha did not like them at the beginning of there dance"

**
Reply
60. MissJessyeNorman
"+Gab Papp It was editing. They were upset with Simon, made clear by the clip of the attempt at reconciliation after that set of auditions ;) It had nothing to do with any of the auditioners."

**
61. Linda Sampedey
"why the lady judges mad tho? Aunties, did they steal your dross"

****
2016
Reply
62. Tyree Scales
"i didnt appreciate the way the woman judges looked at these ladies in a nasty way.. esp the black one.. it was almost as if she didnt want to root them on.. #beproudofyourblackness"
-snip-
Another commenter referred to the Black judge as a "mulatto". In the United States it's no longer appropriate to use this referent for a person of mixed racial ancestry. Is it appropriate to use it in Britain?

[Update: Thanks to slam2011 for responding to my question in the comment section below. Other comments are also welcome. I also added the comment from that discussion thread that included the word "mulatto" in the comment section below.]

**
63. fiona marsh,
+Zambian Konsciousness I also think it could have been that Amanda and Alisha are used to attractive women flirting with Simon trying to get a yes when they aren't very talented, these ladies were very talented though. Don't forget they have to sit through a lot of acts.

**
64. ust zigz
"the reason the judges were pissed off is coz just before they had alot of disagreements on other performances, it wasn't coz they were jealous of ceo dancers"

**
65. Kamila M.
"Ezinne gives me life😍😍 the other girls were amazing too"
-snip-
The phrase "gives me life" comes from gay culture in the USA. It means that something or someone gives you lots of energy.

**
66. Roberta Yeko
"One word ~ they killed it"
-snip-
"Killed it" = African American Vernacular English term meaning "did an exceptional job; performed extremely well"

**
Reply
67. Zoe Cutie Pie
"Lol that's 3 words"

**
68. themy famous
"for some of u who Dont know those two songs are from Nigeria by Nigerian #Iyanya Kukere n #D Banj-oliver Twist dope tracks yea. dey make us proud Nigeria Great nation Great people."
-snip-
"dope" = African American Vernacular English, meaning "very good"

**
69. diellza bytyqi
"What's the name of the song where it says shake your bom bom ???

**
Reply
70. belles burna
"Oliver Twist by dbanj"

**
71. Andy Anta
"I think they are Nigerian !!!?"

**
Reply
72. Frances Maha
"I think only Ezinne (the one with blond low cut) is Nigerian"

**
Reply
73. Safiya Ummi
"the long weave girl too is Nigerian... the pony tail girl is South African..."
-snip-
"weave" = fake or real strands of hair that are attached to one's own hair

**
Reply
73. Aisling Chiamaka John
"yes they're all Nigerians"

**
74. Reply
Adidas Love
"+Ada Ogbu No, they are not. Nqolbile is South Africa."

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75. JDK Ben
"They actually all from Nigeria and the tribe called Igbo"

**
Reply
76. Adidas Love
"+JDK Ben No, N'qobile is not Igbo. She is from South Africa, they have said that. I know their manager, based in Johannesburg. They are not all Nigerian."

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Reply
77. JDK Ben
"Yes you're right.:

**
78. Jude Abijah
"The songs are:
0:48-1:01 Beyonce-Single Ladies
1:03-1:44 Iyanya-Kukere
1:44-2:01 D'Banj-Oliver Twist"

**
Reply
79. sylvie Tapos
"Thank you! I wanted the titles of the songs. "

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ADDENDUM: INFORMATION ABOUT THE ETIGHI DANCE
Etighi is a traditional dance from the Akwa ibom state of Nigeria (now called "Cross River State".)

A dance called the "One Drop" in Jamaica is very similar to Etighi (as per comments in the discussion thread for the Nigerian song "Kukere" and discussion threads for some Etighi dance videos.) For comparison, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOrdMU_dT_8 for a video of the Jamaican twerking-like dance called "One Drop".

Here's an excerpt from an online Nigerian discussion forum that discusses whether this dance should be performed in church:
From http://www.nairaland.com/1066979/dancing-azonto-kukere-church-appropriate/1 "Re: Is Dancing ' Azonto & Kukere ' In Church Appropriate ?" by enuelly: 2:12pm On Oct 06, 2012
"@op.. I read your post with a smile, reasons for smiling known to me ooh jawe
Azonto is a dance style indigenous to the Ghanian people and it blends well when you dance to the azonto beat, there is nothing wordly about it, dance na dance.

Kukere is not a dance style, I'm sure you mean Etighi dance and its indigenous to Akwa ibom state where iyanya is from, Kukere is an ibiono language meaning 'Don't think'.

These dance has been in existence since forever these guys just made it popular by putting it their songs, so if you go to a calabar/akwaibom churches Etighi dance steps are normal dance steps and if you go to Ghana na azonto dey flow.. So if the beat suggest alanta please dance alanta to it and not Micheal Jackson break dance but if the beat suggest Etighi or Azonto please dance accordingly, in the presence of God na fullness of joy plenty for there ooo. "...
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calabar for information about Calabar and click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_River_State for information about Cross River State.

Akwa Ibom state was an earlier name for the Cross River State.

"Alanta" is another Nigerian popular dance style.

The English translation that I've read the most for "kukere" is "Don't worry".

****
From the discussion thread for the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jezsi3g7iwQ (Amazing New African Dance) Dance Etighi by Diff - Official Video; Published by Groove Republic on Jul 31, 2012
The summary for this video is "Watch and learn the new amazing African dance move called Etighi. The fun video gives you the basic moves that you can build on"

MajorrBison, 2012
too bad u don't know your history, etighi has been danced in nigeria since the beginning of the calabar culture*, before there was naija or even drc congo.*

**
Reply
Groove Republic, 2012
please reread my response......i know its been danced for a very long time..but it just became mainstream (became popular outside calabar* and environs recently}...
-snip-
*"Calabar" is a very old city in Nigeria's Cross River State (located in south southern Nigeria).

**"drc"= Democratic Republic of the Congo

**
bprof1, 2012
it is a very old dance (i mean Jesus kind of old) from a region in Nigeria too. it just that it has been fused with modern music.

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ADDENDUM: INFORMATION ABOUT THE DANCERS' NAMES
From https://www.bellanaija.com/2014/07/theyre-called-the-dancing-divas-ceo-dancers-on-dbanjs-positive-energy-personal-styles-for-zen/ They’re Called the Dancing Divas! CEO Dancers on D’banj’s Positive Energy & Personal Styles for Zen; By Jennifer Obiuwevbi, 09.07.2014
"Cool, confident, have worked with the biggest names home and abroad and have dance moves that would make your jaw drop. The CEO Dancers are a dancing trio to reckon with.

Made up of Ezinne Asinugo, Soliat Bada and Nqobilé Ntshangase, these dancers have been featured in music videos for artists such as D’banj, Iyanya, Tiwa Savage, Alexandra Burke, Lil’ Kim and more; and show no signs of slowing down.”....

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Comments About Two Of The CEO Dancers Names (from the discussion thread for the video given above)
nomaphelo mtshaulana, 2014
"why does Nqobile pronounce her name like that GOSHHHHHH!!!"

**
Reply
crzyrdr, 2014
"Girl u know the reason y now...how r they gonna pronounce the click ???😒"

**
Natifah Hercules, 2014
"Their names are so unique!"

**
Reply
afro'd 9jachick, 2014
"well not really. nqobile is a zulu name from south africa; ezinne is an igbo name from nigeria"

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Information About The Name "Ezinne"
From http://babynames.merschat.com/name-meaning.cgi?function=View&bn_key=122571
" "Ezinne" is an Igbo name for girls meaning "Good mother".
-snip-
The Igbo word for mother is "nne".

****
Information About The Name "Nquobile"
From https://missionissues.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/my-name-is-nqobile/ My name is Nqobile
...."This girl had a name and it meant ‘Conqueror’. Many people may not understand its true meaning. This name means: Overcome, Defeater, To triumph over."...
-snip-
This article refers to another girl whose name is Nqobile, and not the CEO dancer.

**
From http://www.thisismybabyname.com/listings/nqobile-ndebele-zimbabwe-baby-boy-name/
" "Nqobile" is a Zimbabwe name often given to Baby Boy and it is of Ndebele origin.The meaning of Nqobile in Ndebele is conquered.

Name-Nqobile
Origin-Ndebele
Country-Zimbabwe
Meaning-conquered
Gender-Boy"
-snip-
Obviously, Nqobile is both a female name and a male name. Note that "Nquobile" is also name from the nation of South Africa.

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Speculative Information About The Name "Soliat"
I've not been able to find any information about the name. My guess is that the name comes from the Arabic word "salat". Here's information about that word:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salah
"Salah ("Muslim prayer", صلاة or gen: ṣalāt; pl. صلوات ṣalawāt), called in some languages by the Persian-derived term namāz (Persian: نَماز‎‎) is one of the Five Pillars in the faith of Islam and an obligatory religious duty for every Muslim. It is a physical, mental, and spiritual act of worship that is observed five times every day at prescribed times. In this ritual, the worshiper starts standing, bows, prostrates, and concludes while sitting on the ground.[1] During each posture, the worshiper recites or reads certain verses, phrases and prayers….

Terminology
Salat (ṣalāt) is an Arabic word whose basic meaning is "bowing, homage, worship, prayer." In its English usage, the reference of the word is almost always confined to the Muslim formal, obligatory worship described in this article.

Translating salat as "prayer" is not usually considered precise enough, as "prayer" can indicate several different ways of relating to God; personal prayer or supplication is called duʿāʾ (Arabic: دُعَاء, literally "invocation") in Islamic usage.

Muslims themselves use several terms to refer to salah depending on their language or culture. In many parts of the world, including many non-Arab countries such as Indonesia, the Arabic term salat or salah is used."...

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