As we say goodbye to the year 2023, it's only fair that we take a step back (or a look back) at the moments, incidents, and people that made the year a defining one.

In this write-up, we are looking at one creative sector that has garnered attention over the past few years, most especially with the rise of TikTok; dance.

While dance has been an essential part of African culture, it has previously been relegated to special events. But being a professional dancer in Ghana was unheard of until a series of rebellious youths with their phones took up the mantle and decided to show the world (especially Ghana) that they could make a name for themselves and make a living off of dance. And they did!

So, here is a list of dancers who made the limelight in 2023. This list examines dancers who made it to social media trends, local and international stages, as well as sponsorships from local and international companies.

1. Afronitaaa:

Danita Akosua Adomaa Yeboah, also known as Afronitaaa or Stargyal has had a fantastic year. At just 20, the DWP Academy member blew up in 2022 but began making waves in 2023 before she took up the winner of 2023’s Talented Kids, Abigail.



Afronita grew more comfortable with the media this year, granting interviews with the likes of Delay and providing more insight into her life. Her following has doubled and she’s said to be the most popular member of the DWP Academy so far. She is an ambassador for some big brands and has promoted songs on social media through her captivating dance moves. Afronitaaa is indeed a delight to watch!


2. Abigail



TV3’s Talented Kidz has brought up a lot of young talents in the country. From the likes of DJ Switch to Nakeeyat, different creatives with a bright future have popped up and the world is eagerly waiting to see what they have in store. One of them is Abigail Adjiri.

The 7-year-old dancer, who happened to have a hearing impairment, captivated the hearts of many with her dance moves in the competition despite her disability. She went on the win the competition and caught the attention of popular dancer Afronita who opted to become a mentor to the girl.

Abigail continues to star in dance videos with Anita and is fast becoming a household name.


3. Endurance Grand:



Endurance Dzigbordi Dedzo, a Nigerian-born Ghanaian dancer is a member of DWP Academy. She has also garnered the limelight this year with her solo skits. Having started dancing at the age of 7, Endurance Grand has performed on many big stages and with famous brands including VGMA, TV3, Ghana Football Awards, Ghana’s Most Beautiful, and most notably The Global Citizen Festival: Accra.


4. Dancegod Lloyd:



Arguably the most influential dancer over the years, Dancegod Lloyd, real name Laud Anoo Konadu is a dancer, dance coach, and choreographer. Rising to fame with his exquisite dance moves, which grew ever more popular with the rise of TikTok, Dancegod is also credited with the co-founding of the popular dance group; DWP Academy. He, however, left the group in 2022, citing a “higher calling” as a reason for his exit.

2023 has been good for Dancegod as well; he helped create the dance challenge for the hit song by King Promise, Terminator. He’s been featured on the official tourism board to promote the city of Dubai. He has also been travelling around the world, partnering with the likes of Sronebwoy and DJ Cuppy on dance challenges.


5. Incredible Zigi:



Real name Michael Amofa, Incredible Zigi has shown his prominence as an independent dancer. He made a name for himself and also went on to found the Afrozigi movement with international brands and artistes looking to hype up their songs knocking on his door. Incredible Zigi also hosts dance workshops throughout Ghana, Nigeria, Russia, and other countries.

However, 2023 had some controversies in store for the dancer. In an interview on Hitz FM, Zigi reportedly claimed that most Ghanaian artistes were lazy and that many songs required input from TokTok dancers to blow. The comments resulted in backlash for the star and a formal apology was issued.


6. Official Starter:




Ernest Raja Nartey, known professionally as Official Starter, came into the limelight in an unconventional way. While others utilized TikTok and jumped on trends to gather a following, Official Starter started a team of market women for his group. Using YouTube and Instagram, they danced to popular songs and quickly gained the attention of the general public and many artistes for his fresh take.

Most notably, Nigerian Afrobeat king, Burna Boy came across a rendition of his hit song “City Boys”. This prompted Burna Boy to set up a Billboard in the market. This brought much-needed attention to Starter who got funding to take his dancers on a joyous road trip to fund some philanthropic projects he works on.


After a week of conducting a poll over who the most influential dancer for the year 2023 is, here are the results from respondents:



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