Asadata Dafora
Sierra Leonean multidisciplinary musician (1890–1965) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Austin Dafora Horton (4 August 1890 – 4 March 1965), also known as Asadata Dafora, was a Sierra Leonean multidisciplinary musician. He was one of the first Africans to introduce African drumming music to the United States, beginning in the early 1930s.[1] His artistic endeavours spanned multiple disciplines, but he is best remembered for his work in dance and music.
Asadata Dafora | |
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Birth name | Austin Dafora Horton |
Born | (1890-08-04)4 August 1890 Freetown, British Sierra Leone |
Died | 4 March 1965(1965-03-04) (aged 74) Harlem, New York City |
Genres | African drum music, dance music |
Occupation(s) | Songwriter, producer, social activist |
Years active | 1929–1960 |
Dafora was a multifaceted artist, talented in opera and concert singing, dancing, choreographing and composing. In 1934, Dafora created Kykunkor (The Witch Woman), a successful musical/drama production using authentic African music and dance and is considered one of the pioneers of black dance in America.