The Origins of the Fanga Dance

Abstract

The fanga is a dance taught throughout the United States to children in elementary music classes, students in African dance classes, teachers in multicultural workshops, and professional dancers in touring ensembles. Although the history of the fanga is a path overgrown with myth, this article offers information about the dance’s origin, development, and dissemination. Also included is an introduction to Asadata Dafora, the first dancer to stage the fanga in the United States; an extensive examination of Pearl Primus and her role in adapting and popularizing the fanga; and a commentary on the period when the fanga moved into the elementary school classroom.