Dance
Get to know the pioneers at the forefront of Nigeria’s Afro Dance scene
Learn about 10 Nigerian dancers that starred in the documentary (Un)credited: The Story of Afro Dance, who found fame on the streets of Lagos and around the world.
Alongside the musical artists that have created global hits, Afro Dance innovators have significantly contributed to the success of the genre all over the world.
These dancers have been featured on the big screen, on TV, in commercials and in music videos with afrobeats icons such as Burna Boy, Davido and Wizkid, just to name a few. They've signed deals with Naomi Campbell and Rihanna, racked up battle wins in Nigeria and are now getting the credit they deserve for their contribution to African music and pop culture.
We met ten young pioneers at the forefront of Nigeria's scene and learned about their journey from the streets of Lagos to becoming the stars of (Un)credited: The Story of Afro Dance.
Watch the documentary below to learn more about Afro Dance and the performers that have pushed the genre forward.
2 min
(Un)credited
Dive deep into the origins of Afro Dance in Nigeria and how it has shaped a global mainstream culture.
01
BJMIAH
Jerry Balogun, aka BJMIAH, was born in Lagos and started dancing at the age of four. He began dancing professionally when he turned 20, without knowing if he was popping, locking or learning Afro Dance. Instead, he just moved his body and felt the rhythm. Performing in as many places as possible, he soon came to the attention of those in the afrobeats scene.
I want to explore, build studios and help people across the globe learn to dance
BJMIAH has a long list of battle wins across Nigeria in various competitions, from popping and locking to freestyle. But he credits his greatest accomplishment as showcasing his skills at Red Bull Dance Your Style as it pushed him to higher levels and connected him with other talented dancers in the industry.
Throughout his career, BJMIAH has trained in many traditional African dances, which he fuses with funk to form his own unique style that he calls afro-popping.
"In the future, I hope dance takes me everywhere," says BJMIAH. "I want to explore, build studios and help people across the globe learn to dance. I teach a lot now. I have an open class every Wednesday that I started because I know how much potential we have here in Nigeria. We don't always realise how talented we are and how big we can make styles like funk in this country and beyond.
"I started my free class so everyone could be there and I'm doing my bit to grow the scene. I'm glad that so many people are still showing up and want to learn from me because I'm also constantly learning myself. I'm so passionate about passing on this knowledge from other pioneers."
02
Ebi Swagg
Ebimene Ekubo, aka Ebi Swagg, started dancing professionally in 2011 when he won season five of the Metina Dance All television competition with his family. After winning, he moved to Lagos, where he attended the dance school Society for the Performing Arts. He studied everything from Latin and ballroom to hip-hop and street dance styles in order to be as versatile as possible. A choreographer, actor and musician, he credits his time studying percussion with helping him connect deeper to the music.
You just have to put God first, be thankful you're alive and trust in your heart
He also represented Nigeria in South Korea in 2017 at the K-Pop World Festival and believes that one of the biggest obstacles he's overcome is representing his country worldwide without financial help from the Nigerian government.
"If you ask me where I want dance to take me in the future, I don't have a plan. You just have to put God first, be thankful you're alive and trust in your heart that if you want to achieve something good, you can. So for me, in 2023, I really want to leave this country to fulfil my dance dream, broaden my horizons and flex my creativity across the globe," says Ebi Swagg.
"I think I can make it big, so I will continue working hard and pray to God to take me somewhere like the US. I know that if I made it to that place, something better and bigger will open up in my life."
03
Light Christopher
Light Christopher has been dancing since he was seven years old and turned professional in 2018 after finishing school. Mentored by Keone Madrid, he formed his own unique style by fusing skills from hip-hop, Afro Dance and pop while also telling a story with his movements. One of his proudest moments came when he showcased his talent at Red Bull Dance Your Style as it demonstrated his skills to the rest of the world. When he’s not dancing, he loves to skateboard and is a skilled videographer and graphic designer.
What do Nigerian dancers possess that's unique from the rest of the world? Smiles
"What do Nigerian dancers possess that's unique from the rest of the world? Smiles. The other thing Nigerians have that's unique is that the creation of the afrobeats movement came from these streets. It was created in ancient times and has evolved to modern days," he explains.
"Many of the moves were inspired by social happenings and out of this hunger we've always had, even when we had to break into warehouses to dance and rehearse as the governments wouldn't allow it. Our greatest challenge has been to overcome a lack of proper payment, budget and support for dance from the Nigerian government."
04
Locking Sion
Locking Sion started dancing professionally in 2008 with afro-fusion street dance. From there, he moved to hip-hop and trained in various dance foundations at two different schools. In 2015 he started locking because he wanted to pursue something totally different from the dance genres that were popular in Nigeria. A self-taught locker, he's gone on to win various competitions and took second place at Battle Of The Year only a year after he started locking in 2015.
In 2016 he travelled to Spain and trained from morning until night after realising that he needed to include a lot of the history and moves created by locking pioneers such as Soul Train's Don Campbell. He watched endless videos and tutorials, and his dancing quickly improved.
It makes me proud to encourage so many people with the same passion I had
His career as a solo act skyrocketed when he mixed afro-fusion with locking and won countless Nigerian titles. He even travelled to America to train with the late Don Campbell, the creator of locking himself. However, what he's most proud of is bringing the authentic locking style back to Nigeria and teaching numerous young dancers the style.
"I met Don Campbell one-on-one and I learnt a lot of things in that period that I was with him. He said I was the future. Before that, I didn't have anyone to teach me when I started. I was self-taught and I didn't have opportunities to learn from someone who knew the history and could teach the real 'Campbell Way' of locking and the traditional locking style. So it makes me proud to encourage so many people with the same passion I had," says Locking Sion, who also works as a voiceover artist, actor and director.
"I've trained a lot of females in Nigeria now, too, so we have a lot of female lockers in the scene. I was also the first African to represent us at Hip Hop International."
05
Locking Mike
Locking Mike started dancing in high school after being inspired by a guest instructor who came to his school. In 2016 he started out with afro-fusion. After that, he decided to push himself outside his comfort zone and train in something different from popular dances in Nigeria (like his mentor Locking Sion) and chose to lock.
I want to inspire others to dance from their hearts and express themselves
He spent a lot of time learning the history and culture behind the dance after winning a scholarship for dance and by 2019 was dancing professionally and performing with Locking Sion. He also got lessons from locking pioneer Fire Lock, who's noted as one of the best lockers in the world.
Considering his locking style to be funky with a fusion of heat from African cultural dances and movements, he believes his most outstanding achievement was winning GLO Battle of the Year Nigeria in 2022.
"Nigerian dancers add more culture from our country into our hip-hop style to make it unique. We give it our all. In the future, I hope that the way I lock and the funk and soul I put in helps people to get to know about real dancing. I want to inspire others to dance from their hearts and express themselves," says Locking Mike.
"Many people who aren't dancers in Nigeria don't understand how we pour our emotions on the floor. They only see the dynamic part, movements, musicality and the 'wow' factor. They don't always get the chance to connect to what we're doing on a deep level. So I'm trying to change that and ensure the whole world understands how special Nigerian dancers are."
06
C-Fly
C-Fly started taking dance classes in 2014 after he came second in season eight of the television dance competition Matina Dance All. One of the main organisers and dance instructors involved in the battle approached him afterwards and asked if he was ready to take his career professionally. He instantly said yes.
From there, C-Fly was invited to audition at a studio in Lagos. After being accepted, he trained in various genres, from ballet, contemporary, Latin and ballroom to hip-hop and acrobatics. Because of this, he’s become a highly original dancer that can blend genres and incorporate gravity-defying acrobatics.
I feel blessed that I know people are inspired by how I move and act
His big break came when he was invited to compete in season one of Dance with Peter. Named the Most Valuable Dancer on the show, he won a car and a large cash prize. Soon after he represented Nigeria in South Korea at the K-POP Dance Competition, duly winning the title. He would also triumph in the same country in 2022 when he won at the K-POP World Festival. Not only did victory in South Korea prove that he could compete with the very best, it also allowed him to meet some of his dance idols.
When he's not in the dance studio or battling, C-Fly works as a cinematographer and filmmaker, shooting music videos and dance content.
"I feel blessed that I know people are inspired by how I move and act when it comes to dancing in Nigeria. I've seen dancers in the past who were able to be inspired by greats in our scene, and now, to be experiencing the reverse and to be considered one of those dancers who can inspire people makes me feel like a superhero," says C-Fly.
"It feels amazing to have people look up to me. In the future, I would love to be able to teach more and pass on my dance to others. Also to travel more and exchange energies with cultures and people outside of my own comfort zone."
07
Sara Bhlac
Sara Bhlac started dancing when she was seven years old. Initially, it was in order to make some money as he father was struggling to raise funds for her studies. However, she soon fell in love with dance and once she finished school, she continued to perform – gaining exposure and fame by dancing on TV shows in Nigeria.
I hope that my dance takes me to all the places that I dream of
However, there were some tough times as she felt that some directors were discriminating against her because of her skin colour, while she was also being body shamed and felt almost cheated by the entertainment industry.
Still fighting for justice and raising money for her family with her performances, she believes that what separates Nigerian street dancers from the rest of the world is their crazy lifestyle.
"What made me want to dance? I have a strong passion for dance, and it's also a gift from God," says Sara Bhlac, whose mentor is Michael Balogun, aka Yebolistik. "In the future, I hope that my dance takes me to all the places that I dream of."
08
Smack
Addy Daniels Oyinkuro, also known as Smack, is the founder of Bullys Krump Group Nigeria and a co-pioneer of the AfroBuck Movement in Nigeria. As a child, he loved dancing at parties but never knew it could be a career. It wasn't until he was a teenager in the early 2000s that he started to dance more seriously when he had access to DVDs and mp3s. In 2009 he started dancing professionally when he discovered krump, a dance style that gave him a boldness and burst of creativity that changed his whole life and that he felt he had to share.
In 2015, he introduced the b-boy community in Nigeria with the existing Krump community, and this mix brought about a whole new bond. He pioneered the Krump vs B-Boy Street Battle, which opened up a unique collaboration between both communities that still exists to this day.
Krump helped me to find my truth and a way of expressing myself
In 2016, Smack was featured in the first-ever dance movie in Nigeria, The Dance Movie Project as a Krump choreographer. However, his proudest achievement is travelling from Nigeria to Senegal on a road trip in 2020 to compete at the International Illest Krump Battle in Senegal.
Hoping to inspire upcoming dancers and help them do better in all areas of their lives, he still feels as though it is difficult to take his art beyond the borders of his country. However, it’s a challenge he’d love to overcome.
"My inspiration has always been the greatest ones I won't get to meet. Muhammad Ali, Micheal Jackson, Micheal Jordan and Bob Marley; their art and how they pushed what they do with high discipline has always been hugely inspiring," reveals Smack.
"I didn't have a mentor until last year; his name is Qudus Onikeku. Before that, I cut pieces from all these listed legends from the past and moulded myself to match my purpose. Krump helped me to find my truth and a way of expressing myself."
09
Blayke
Blayke is a multi-genre dancer who fuses krump with hip-hop, lyrical flow and alternative styles with his popping and athleticism. He started dancing at 14 years old in church with a group he formed with his friends. The audience's reaction to their performances ignited his passion to become a dancer.
He began rehearsing as much as possible, but his dreams were cut short at 16 when his mother was put into hospital and he had to take care of her full-time. Once she was back at home, Blayke wasted no time in pursuing his dream of becoming a dancer.
He trained at a prestigious dance school and was determined to succeed, even though one of his teachers was hoping he would fail. His drive paid off though and by the time he finished school, he was one of the most memorable students.
I'm proud that I have been an inspiration to a very large number of dancers
Since then, he's worked with some of the top afrobeats artists, such as Burna Boy, Semi, Teni and Ice Prince. He's in high demand as a performer and choreographer and has a lengthy list of fans queuing up to attend his workshops worldwide. He also triumphed at Red Bull Dance Your Style Nigeria in 2021, proving that he's the best freestyle dancer in his country.
"I'm proud that I have been an inspiration to a very large number of dancers, even before I won Red Bull Dance Your Style. I get a lot of phone calls and I feel very fulfilled when I see people inspired by my dance," says Blayke. "When I see someone do my move or dance like me – or when they call me to tell me that what I'm doing motivates them – that means a whole lot to me. Because no one thought that I would do that or was capable of that when I started."
10
Tom Tom
Eromose-Ordia, aka Tom Tom, started dancing when he was five after falling in love with afrobeats and hip-hop. Growing up, he learnt African cultural dances and contemporary, and by the time he left school was able to turn professional.
Dance saved me. I might not have seen the world if I hadn't danced
After meeting some dancers who also spent a lot of time in the streets, Tom Tom began regularly rehearsing with the group and after three years of training, they decided to form Westsyde Lifestyle crew. This crew would go on to become one of the most famous crews in Nigerian dance history and help kick down doors for the next generation of talent from the country.
"Dance saved me. I won't lie to you. It really saved me, you know. I might not have seen the world if I hadn't danced. Now I've been to like 50-something countries," says Tom Tom. "My greatest achievement is that it helped me see so much of the world, talk to different cultures, and expand my creativity in my craft. After that, one of the main things that make me the proudest is when people come up to me and say, 'Yo! Because of you, I started dancing!'
"With Westsyde Lifestyle, we've won so many hearts. We've inspired so many people from sleeping on the streets to believe they could dance and be up there with us and the greats. We all started from nothing too. So giving back to the community is by far our most outstanding achievement."