Gwara Gwara
Also known as: Gwarra Gwarra, Gwara
History & Cultural Context
Gwara gwara is a South African step credited to the producer and dancer DJ Bongz, who launched it through Instagram dance challenges and through the video for his track 'Ofana Nawe'. It spread from South African schoolyards into nightlife across 2016 and 2017 before crossing over internationally. Chris Brown was filmed performing it in June 2016, and Rihanna's January 2018 Grammy Awards performance of 'Wild Thoughts' with DJ Khaled triggered a worldwide conversation, much of it uninformed, about where the move came from. Childish Gambino's 2018 'This Is America' video, choreographed by Sherrie Silver, also features it. The step is danced standing more or less on the spot: the working leg swings out and drags back in a loose, hinged sweep while the arms alternate in a winding motion and the shoulders shrug against the offbeat. It looks casual, and concealing the effort is part of the point. DJ Bongz has repeatedly defended the move's South African authorship and its longevity, telling TimesLIVE in 2020 that the gwara gwara will never die, and in 2021 he staged a public dance challenge with the actor Jamie Foxx that returned attention to its origins.
Cultural Significance
Gwara gwara belongs to South African township youth culture and reached the world with its origins largely stripped off, becoming a textbook case of an African social step circulating globally while its creator's name did not. South African commentators used the Rihanna moment to insist publicly on the attribution.
Characteristic Movement & Technique
Upright stance with a soft supporting knee; the free leg sweeps outward from the hip and drags back on a hinge while the arms wind alternately across the body and the shoulders answer the offbeat.
Partnering Dynamics
Solo or group, danced facing forward or in a circle. There is no partner hold, though the step is often traded back and forth as friendly one-upmanship.
Competitive Context
Circulated primarily through hashtag challenges initiated on DJ Bongz's own social accounts, including a widely covered 2021 challenge with Jamie Foxx, rather than through staged competition.
Regional Variations
The South African original is small, grounded and behind the beat; international versions performed in pop choreography tend to be larger, more upright and squarely on the beat.
Common Misconceptions
Gwara gwara was not created by Rihanna, Childish Gambino or any American performer, and it is not a generic 'African dance'. It is also distinct from pantsula, an older and far more technically demanding township form with its own separate lineage.
Peak Popularity
Signature Figures
- DJ Bongz
- Rihanna
- Sherrie Silver
- Chris Brown
Notable Codifiers
- DJ Bongz
Sources & Further Reading
Cultural & Historical Context
Gwara Gwara emerged from South Africa during the 2016s—2018s. Understanding the cultural roots, musical traditions, and social circumstances of this era enriches appreciation for the dance's characteristics and significance.
Formative Influences
Codifiers & Standardizers:
DJ Bongz
Signature Movement Vocabulary:
DJ Bongz, Rihanna, Sherrie Silver, Chris Brown
Primary Source Documents
The Library of Dance contains public-domain primary sources for dance history. Copyrighted modern syllabi are indexed with purchase links to their respective copyright owners. Search by dance name or codifier to discover primary source documents.
Last reviewed: August 2026 — This dance profile synthesizes historical research, cultural documentation, and contemporary practice knowledge to provide authoritative context.
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