Network's History and Past Events
The Dance in the History of Africa Network
Book Project and Networking Event.
Date: Monday, 23 March 2026
Venue: Online
Time: 8:00–9:30 AM EST/1:00–2:30 PM GMT/2:00–3:30 PM CET / WAT/3:00–4:30 PM SAST
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The Network held an online Book project and networking event on March the23rd. The network is currently developing an edited book volume and shortform e-collection, both planned for publication in 2027. The Network’s organisers and editors—Dr Zoe Groves, Dr Funmi Adewole, Dr Mirelle Flore Chamba Nana, and Dr Elizabeth Claire— each spoke on the chapters they are planning. The session was followed by a Q&A session. About 20 people attended from different parts of the world and introduced themselves and exchanged contact details in the chat. First drafts for the edited collection will be submitted to the editors in July 2026.
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Participation is free and light touch. Join the group's Facebook page or write the email below for updates.
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danceinthehistoryofafrica@gmail.com or enactarts@gmail.com
The history of DiHAN
The Dance in the History of Africa Network (DiHAN) was founded by Dr Zoë Groves (University of Leicester) and Dr Cécile Feza Bushidi (Barnard College, Columbia University). Dr Groves and Dr Bushidi initially collaborated as co-investigators on research exploring dance as an object of inquiry within African history. This collaboration led to the development of a grant application to the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), seeking funding for in-person writing workshops and the production of an edited academic book. DiHAN’s first activity was a two-day online symposium held in 2021, followed by a one-day online symposium in September 2022.
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Dr ‘Funmi Adewole Elliott joined the project in 2021, with a background in Dance development, supporting research into dance as an industry in Africa, an area aligned with her ongoing scholarly and professional work. Dr Adewole Elliott proposed the name Dance in the History of Africa Network (DiHAN) and connected the network with the Dance Studies Association. In 2023, Dr Groves and Dr Adewole Elliott featured the DiHAN as part of the Movement, Mobility, Reciprocity online symposia organised by the Dance Studies Association and hosted by Ọjájá University (Nigeria) and École des Sables (Senegal).
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In 2024, the project was paused following the untimely passing of Dr Bushidi. The AHRC application was highly rated by reviewers, but unsuccessful, and Dr Groves and Dr Adewole Elliott decided to continue with the plans for the proposed book and dedicate it to the memory of Dr Bushidi. Dr Mirelle Flore Chamba Nana and Dr Elizabeth Claire—both closely connected to Dr Bushidi and committed to the subject area—were invited to join the editorial committee for the proposed publication.
Dr Cécile Feza Bushidi
(1980 to 2024)
Cécile Feza Bushidi has a fulfilling career as a dance artist before she earned a PhD in History and went into the academia. In England, she danced with Wayne Macgregor’s Random dance company and presented solo work at Arcola Theatre and Dance Umbrella. In 2017 she completed her PhD in History from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.
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There followed an academic career in which Cécile held fellowships or taught at Yale University, the NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts, and the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, as well as at Cambridge. Her last post was as an Assistant Professor of Dance and History at Columbia University, USA. She was finishing a book on dance, culture and politics in colonial Gikuyuland (1880–1963). A historian of East and Central Africa, she published many articles and book chapters on the interrelation between dance and political cultures.
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One of her research interests was the exclusion and invisibility of dance in official colonial records in Kenya, and how this could be seen as a distinctive and significant 'epistemic injustice’. Her passion about African archives led her to start this network with Dr Zoe Groves. She passed away in New York in 2024.
She remains in our thoughts. One of the aim of this network is to produce a book on dance in the history of Africa as she envisaged which will be dedicated to her memory.