The Dance That Never Dies
By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
If Kente is the cloth that speaks, then Agbadza is the dance that remembers. It is the heartbeat of the Ewe people — a rhythm older than colonization, older than Christianity, older than Ghana itself. When Agbadza drums begin, something ancient awakens. The air changes. The ground vibrates. Elders sit up straighter. Children’s eyes widen. Even people who claim they “don’t dance” suddenly feel their shoulders responding automatically.
Agbadza is not performed—it happens, moving through people like a spirit with unfinished business.
To the Ewe, Agbadza is not entertainment. It is history, identity, philosophy, healing, mourning, celebration, resistance, spirituality, and community — all happening at once.
1. Origins — When War Became Music
Agbadza began as Atsia, a war dance. It was the rhythm warriors used:
- to gather courage before battle
- to communicate during war
- to celebrate victories
- to honor the fallen
Its movements were originally martial:
- stamping feet
- chest-forward posture
- shoulders rolling like a warrior preparing to charge
- arms swinging as if slicing through danger
Every step carried memory. It remembered the escape from Notsie, the battles of migration, and the defense of land and people. Over centuries, as the wars ended, the dance softened. Atsia transformed into Agbadza—the civilian version. But don’t be fooled. Beneath the gentle swaying lies the warrior’s heartbeat. Agbadza is peaceful, but its soul remembers war.
2. The Drums — When Rhythm Becomes Language
To understand Agbadza, you must understand its drums. Ewe drumming is not background noise — it is a conversation.
The Agbadza ensemble includes:
- Sogo — the lead drum
- Kidi — the supporting drum
- Kagan — the small, sharp-talking drum
- Gankogui — the double iron bell that acts as the “clock”
- Axatse — the shaker that fills the spaces between heartbeat and breath
Each drum has a specific role:
- One commands
- One responds
- One argues
- One organizes
- One advises
- One fills silence
Together, they form a parliament — not the chaotic type in Accra, but a disciplined one where every “speaker” contributes meaningfully.
When Agbadza drums begin, your body is no longer yours. It remembers things it never lived.
3. The Dance — Shoulders That Speak, Feet That Remember
Agbadza dance is deceptively simple. It looks easy — until you try it. Then you discover the truth: Agbadza is precision disguised as relaxation.
The basic movement:
- feet gliding gently on the ground
- shoulders rolling rhythmically
- arms swinging in controlled freedom
- chest steady
- back upright
- eyes calm
But the magic is in the shoulders. If the shoulders don’t speak, you are not doing Agbadza. It is the shoulders that interpret the drum. It is the shoulders that tell your story. It is the shoulders that separate “I tried” from “I am Ewe.” And the elders will know instantly which one you are.
4. When Agbadza Appears — Funerals, Festivals, and Every Moment That Matters
Agbadza is omnipresent. It appears in all the important chapters of life.
At funerals
It honors the dead.
It celebrates the life they lived.
It consoles the family.
It reconnects the community.
Ewe funerals are not quiet affairs. They are cultural ceremonies of remembrance and acceptance. Agbadza is the soundtrack of farewell.
At festivals
Especially Hogbetsotso, Agbadza becomes thunder. The dance circles stretch wide. Drummers enter spiritual focus. Elders dance with dignity. Youth dance with energy. Children dance with imitation and pride.
At home gatherings
The drum may be smaller. The dancers fewer. But the spirit is unchanged.
At political or social events
If you hear Agbadza, prepare for:
- unity
- seriousness
- ancestral presence
- cultural pride
Agbadza is not casual. Its presence means something important is happening.
5. Agbadza as Philosophy — A Dance That Teaches Life
Agbadza is not just movement. It is a teaching.
Lesson 1: Community
You dance in a circle — meaning no one is above another. Everyone faces everyone. Unity is visible.
Lesson 2: Courage
Agbadza came from war. It teaches resilience in peaceful ways.
Lesson 3: Balance
Feet steady.
Shoulders free.
Mind calm.
Heart open.
Life should be lived the same way.
Lesson 4: Memory
Every drumbeat is a reminder that you come from people who survived impossible things.
Lesson 5: Identity
Agbadza says: “Know who you are before the world tells you who to be.”
6. Humor and Social Commentary — Agbadza Never Lies
Ewe gatherings are full of humor, especially during Agbadza. The dance becomes a truth serum.
Some common moments:
The Overconfident Dancer
The man who enters the circle swinging his shoulders like a malfunctioning ceiling fan. The elders will whisper: “He dances with confidence, not with wisdom.”
The Person Who Cannot Keep Rhythm
Ewe people suffer physically watching this. Someone will say: “He is dancing Atsiagbekor when the drums are playing Agbadza.”
The Elder Who Still Has It
Old men and women whose shoulders move like they are 25. Everyone nods with respect: “The ancestors live in this one.”
Agbadza reveals personality.
It reveals character.
It reveals humor.
It reveals dignity.
It never hides truth.
7. Agbadza in the Diaspora — The Dance That Travels Well
Wherever Ewe people go:
- Europe
- America
- Nigeria
- Togo
- Benin
- Brazil
- the Caribbean
Agbadza travels with them.
It appears at:
- weddings
- naming ceremonies
- funerals
- African festivals
- diaspora cultural events
Agbadza is the anchor that prevents roots from being lost. It ensures that even if an Ewe child grows up abroad, their shoulders will one day remember home.
8. Agbadza Today — From Villages to TikTok
Agbadza has entered modern times gracefully:
- featured in music videos
- taught in dance workshops
- used in Afro-fusion choreography
- performed at national events
- blended into Afrobeats rhythms
The youth are reinterpreting it, but the soul remains unbroken. Agbadza is not threatened by modernization—it is too old, too wise, too rooted. You cannot kill a dance built from survival.
9. What Agbadza Means to the Ewe — Identity in Motion
Agbadza is:
- language
- memory
- history
- philosophy
- spirituality
- resistance
- unity
- healing
It is the sound of a people who have crossed rivers, wars, borders, and centuries — and still dance with grace. Agbadza is not just a dance. It is a declaration: “We are still here.”
10. Conclusion — The Dance That Outlives Time
Agbadza will outlive all of us.
It has survived:
- migration
- oppression
- colonization
- modernization
- globalization
And it will thrive long after.
Why? Because Agbadza is not dependent on fashion or trend. It is not bound by youth or age. It is not driven by politics or economy.
Agbadza is rooted in the one thing that never fades:
Identity.
When the drums start, Ewe people are no longer in the world — the world is in them.
Agbadza is the dance that never dies.
The dance that remembers.
The dance that unites.
The dance that breathes.
Agbadza is the heartbeat of the Ewe.
Coming Up Next: Chapter 43: Foods of Volta
Author: John S. Morlu II, CPA is the CEO and Chief Strategist of JS Morlu, leads a globally recognized public accounting and management consultancy firm. Under his visionary leadership, JS Morlu has become a pioneer in developing cutting-edge technologies across B2B, B2C, P2P, and B2G verticals. The firm’s groundbreaking innovations include AI-powered reconciliation software (ReckSoft.com), Uber for handymen (Fixaars.com) and advanced cloud accounting solutions (FinovatePro.com), setting new industry standards for efficiency, accuracy, and technological excellence.