Theresa Onuorah and her famous Egedege dance troupe

The Egedege dance is nothing short than graceful, it’s a glorious dance with a resonating sounds of gongs, flute and melodious songs that sets the soul and body in jubilation.

The name Egedege stems from a local slang for richness and bravery which explains why the dance is considered cultural classics and are only played in royal homes or rich families. It’s the dance of the gods led by the queen mother herself Theresa Onuorah, the Egedege dance could be traced to traditions of the Nnobi people in the heart of eastern Nigeria. The origin of the dance could be traced from the traditional moonlight plays observed during the harmattan period, were children, boys and girls dance to songs and beatings.

Theresa brought the dance and music into the limelight in 1985, reincarnating most of the dance styles and songs, with some modern attributes which gave the song more flare. Their performance is a combination of songs, dance, Instrumentation and colorful traditional outfits. Their performance is introduced by elaborate fluting which is the entrance cue that heralds the group, led by the queen. The singing only begins when the queen reaches the stage and takes the microphone, she arrives under a big umbrella, carried by one man, with another fanning her from behind. She sings but sometimes dances to the rhythm of the instrument.

Theresa is an Amazon who heralded the dance from the national level to different countries of the world, with her energetic dancers whose great dancing skills are wildly appreciated.

The Egedege dance was a popular hit in the 80’s gracing ceremonies and events, it’s music and dance still remains fresh in the hearts of many.