Asadata Dafora | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Austin Dafora Horton |
| Born | 4 August 1890 Freetown, British Sierra Leone |
| Died | 4 March 1965 (aged 74) Harlem, New York City |
| Genres | African drum music, dance music |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, producer, social activist |
| Years active | 1929–1960 |
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.
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.