Latest revision: May 22, 2022
This pancocojams post provides information about South Africa's contemporary social dance called "gwara gwara" (also written as gwaragwara") and showcases five YouTube videos of that dance.
The Addendum of this post provides information about DJ Bongz who popularized the South African dance "gwara gwara".
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the creators of the "Gwara Gwara" dance and thanks to DJ Bongz, the South African DJ who is widely credited as the one who popularized this dance worldwide.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks also to the composers and performers of the music which is featured in these videos.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/10/selected-comments-from-youtube.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Selected Comments From The YouTube Discussion Thread For "Nigerians Murder South African Dance Step "Gwara Gwara".
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WHAT IS THE "GWARA GWARA" DANCE
"Gwara Gwara" is a social dance that began trending in South Africa in 2016 thanks to its performance and promotion by South African dancer DJ Bongz. The earliest YouTube video of this dance that I've found was published by DURBANDANCE on January 22, 2016 and is entitled "Tarabha DJ Bongz #MrGwara Gwara Dance" [video no longer available].
Another early video of this dance "Dj bongz Gwaragwara dance compilation" was published on Feb 27, 2016 by TK Tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5obClFsN0I The brief summary of that video indicates that this is "dj bongz well known famous dance".
[Added May 5, 2020]
Here's a brief excerpt about "Gwara Gwara" from https://africa.com/top-dance-styles-africa/ Top Dance Styles: Africa, 2016
"The Gwara Gwara Dance was made popular by South African dance music artist, DJ Bongz, with the introduction of his hit single “Ofana Nawe,” featuring Sobz.
The dance went viral after DJ Bongz posted tutorials of how to do the dance on his social media streams, and has been featured in the videos of some of the country’s biggest hits, including “Wololo” by Babes Wodumo and “Gobisiqolo” by Bhizer. Gwara Gwara dance has become one of the most popular dance styles in Africa."
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COMPARISON BETWEEN "GWARA CWARA" AND SOME OTHER CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN SOCIAL DANCES
As I previously indicated, the earliest "Gwara Gwara" YouTube videos that I've found were published in 2016. Many commenters in those videos' discussion threads describe "Gwara Gwara" as a very popular social dance in South Africa.
In the discussion thread for the video given below as Example #4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt4C1kdTiyM DANCE GWARA GWARA COMPILATION), several Angolan commenters wrote that the "Gwara Gwara" dance was actually the Angolan dance named "Kuduro". Other commenters in the discussion thread for the "SA DANCE GWARA GWARA COMPILATION" video mentioned above wrote that "Gwara Gwara" was like [Ghana's] Azonto dance. However, other commenters refuted that comparison indicating that the two dances are nothing alike.
Pancocojams posts on "Kuduro" and on "Azonto" can be found by using this blog's internal search engine.
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COMPARISON OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN DANCE "GWARA GWARA" WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN DANCE "STANKY LEGS"
From https://www.wikihow.com/Dance-the-Gwara-Gwara, by the WikiHow staff, March 29, 2019
"The Gwara Gwara is a South African dance move created by DJ Bongz. It's been popularized in the U.S. by performers like Rhianna, and it has some similarities to the Stanky Leg.[1] The Gwara Gwara mainly involves lifting and swinging one leg, then pulling the rest of your body into that movement....
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THE MUSIC USED TO DANCE "GWARA GWARA"
"Gwara Gwara" appears to be danced to Southern African "House" instrumental music. For example, a commenter in the discussion thread for the Jul 23, 2016 video entitled "Gwara gwara n bhenga dance" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj9pBAXJXzM indicated that the music track being danced to was "Xoli M - 1000 Hearts". And a nunber of commenters indicated that the track that was used in the video given below as Example #4 was the Angolan "House" music track "Wololo" by Dj Maceeya.
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WHAT DOES "GWARA GWARA" MEAN?
In the discussion thread for this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj9pBAXJXzM, commenter Vodacom Mkhize (2016) responded to the question "What does "Gwara Gwara" means with this statement:
"It's a bird, it's a variation of gwala gwala/ligwalagwala/igwalagwala, a Zulu/Ndebele bird (maybe an African parrot) which was used by kings like Shaka to honour a brave person. The dance is from the moves of the bird, but it's better to ask the inventors anyway."
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1:
0:04 / 6:17
DJ Bongz - Gwaragwara - Official Video
AGGREGATOR AFRICA, Oct 5, 2018
Enjoy to DJ Bongz's latest song "Gwaragwara
-snip-
This video replaces another video of DJ Bongz that was embedded in this post but is no longer available.
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Example #2: KIDS DANCE the GWARA GWARA South African DANCE
Courtney Danelli, Published on Mar 18, 2017
The gwara gwara South African dance
GWARA GWARA dance KIDS
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Example #3: BEST SA DANCE gwara gwara
Tebogo Ndou, Published on Mar 15, 2017
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Example #4: SA DANCE GWARA GWARA COMPILATION
TMan Ostrong, Published on Apr 17, 2016
Dj Bongz's Gwara Gwara, The Trending Dance
Watch The Second Episode Here: https://youtu.be/9wFByqn8nZc
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Example #5: GWARA GWARA TUTORIAL!! || Easy step by step tutorial on how to GWARA GWARA
Presh Okosi, Apr 29, 2018
Watch how to dance the popular South African dance called Gwara gwara, looks difficult but it’s very very easy to learn 💪🏾
-snip-
This video replaces another gwara gwara tutorial video that was embedded in this post but is no longer available.
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ADDENDUM #1: INFORMATION ABOUT DJ BONGZ
From https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/deejay-bongz.html
"Deejay Bongz
DJ
House DJ who became a household name in South Africa for his albums Game Changer, No Retreat and No Surrender. He became the first South African DJ to sell double Platinum and won two best dance compilation awards at the Metro Fm Awards.
Before Fame
He started putting out songs around 2005.
Trivia
His album Game Changer was nominated for a South African Music Award for Best Kwaito Album in 2016.
Family Life
His real name is Bongani Dlamini. He was born and raised near Durban, South Africa."...
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From https://www.marieclaire.co.za/celebrity/dj-bongz-gwara-gwara-become-international-dance-sensation
"DJ Bongz’ GwaraGwara Is Now A Viral Dance Sensation And You Need To Watch This Mashup
by: Afika Jadezweni, 30 January, 2018
"A one-minute video of people from all over the world doing DJ Bongz’ Gwara Gwara has gone viral on Twitter this afternoon. This is a dance originally popularised by local house hitmaker DJ Bongz, who has been seen in many videos doing the dance either at performances or on any other regular occasion where the music is good and loud enough. And now it has become an international dance sensation.
The montage posted today on Twitter by Gagasi FM’s DJ Websta recognises the local DJ as the ‘Gwara Gwara originator’ and thanks Bongz for introducing the dance to the world.
[...]
This video comes a day after South Africans were quick to point out that one of Rihanna’s dance moves during her Grammy Awards performance* was in fact DJ Bongz’ Gwara Gwara (along with the Ghanaian azonto) and not the stanky leg as international media initially claimed.
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ADDENDUM #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5PSUSNHvuc "Rihana Dancing Gwara Gwara at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards 2018"
-snip-
American actor, Hip Hop composer, performer Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) also performed gwara gwara as part of his hit "This is American"
video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
THE MUSIC USED TO DANCE "GWARA GWARA"
"Gwara Gwara" appears to be danced to Southern African "House" instrumental music. For example, a commenter in the discussion thread for the Jul 23, 2016 video entitled "Gwara gwara n bhenga dance" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj9pBAXJXzM indicated that the music track being danced to was "Xoli M - 1000 Hearts". And a nunber of commenters indicated that the track that was used in the video given below as Example #4 was the Angolan "House" music track "Wololo" by Dj Maceeya.
****
WHAT DOES "GWARA GWARA" MEAN?
In the discussion thread for this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj9pBAXJXzM, commenter Vodacom Mkhize (2016) responded to the question "What does "Gwara Gwara" means with this statement:
"It's a bird, it's a variation of gwala gwala/ligwalagwala/igwalagwala, a Zulu/Ndebele bird (maybe an African parrot) which was used by kings like Shaka to honour a brave person. The dance is from the moves of the bird, but it's better to ask the inventors anyway."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1:
0:04 / 6:17
DJ Bongz - Gwaragwara - Official Video
AGGREGATOR AFRICA, Oct 5, 2018
Enjoy to DJ Bongz's latest song "Gwaragwara
-snip-
This video replaces another video of DJ Bongz that was embedded in this post but is no longer available.
****
Example #2: KIDS DANCE the GWARA GWARA South African DANCE
Courtney Danelli, Published on Mar 18, 2017
The gwara gwara South African dance
GWARA GWARA dance KIDS
****
Example #3: BEST SA DANCE gwara gwara
Tebogo Ndou, Published on Mar 15, 2017
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Example #4: SA DANCE GWARA GWARA COMPILATION
TMan Ostrong, Published on Apr 17, 2016
Dj Bongz's Gwara Gwara, The Trending Dance
Watch The Second Episode Here: https://youtu.be/9wFByqn8nZc
****
Example #5: GWARA GWARA TUTORIAL!! || Easy step by step tutorial on how to GWARA GWARA
Presh Okosi, Apr 29, 2018
Watch how to dance the popular South African dance called Gwara gwara, looks difficult but it’s very very easy to learn 💪🏾
-snip-
This video replaces another gwara gwara tutorial video that was embedded in this post but is no longer available.
****
ADDENDUM #1: INFORMATION ABOUT DJ BONGZ
From https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/deejay-bongz.html
"Deejay Bongz
DJ
House DJ who became a household name in South Africa for his albums Game Changer, No Retreat and No Surrender. He became the first South African DJ to sell double Platinum and won two best dance compilation awards at the Metro Fm Awards.
Before Fame
He started putting out songs around 2005.
Trivia
His album Game Changer was nominated for a South African Music Award for Best Kwaito Album in 2016.
Family Life
His real name is Bongani Dlamini. He was born and raised near Durban, South Africa."...
****
From https://www.marieclaire.co.za/celebrity/dj-bongz-gwara-gwara-become-international-dance-sensation
"DJ Bongz’ GwaraGwara Is Now A Viral Dance Sensation And You Need To Watch This Mashup
by: Afika Jadezweni, 30 January, 2018
"A one-minute video of people from all over the world doing DJ Bongz’ Gwara Gwara has gone viral on Twitter this afternoon. This is a dance originally popularised by local house hitmaker DJ Bongz, who has been seen in many videos doing the dance either at performances or on any other regular occasion where the music is good and loud enough. And now it has become an international dance sensation.
The montage posted today on Twitter by Gagasi FM’s DJ Websta recognises the local DJ as the ‘Gwara Gwara originator’ and thanks Bongz for introducing the dance to the world.
[...]
This video comes a day after South Africans were quick to point out that one of Rihanna’s dance moves during her Grammy Awards performance* was in fact DJ Bongz’ Gwara Gwara (along with the Ghanaian azonto) and not the stanky leg as international media initially claimed.
****
ADDENDUM #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5PSUSNHvuc "Rihana Dancing Gwara Gwara at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards 2018"
-snip-
American actor, Hip Hop composer, performer Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) also performed gwara gwara as part of his hit "This is American"
video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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