Abstract
It has never been easy to categorize or define the 1934 Broadway phenomenon that was Asadata Dafora's Kykunkor, or the Witch Woman. To date, the production, comprised of African song and dance, has been almost exclusively claimed, analyzed, and anthologized by dance scholars who frame the work as a formative example of black concert dance and African diaspora. This article refutes (and broadens) the sole concert dance definition and position of Kykunkor by situating the work within the musical theatre arena. In doing so, Kykunkor is shown to be not only an antecedent of the contemporary dance-dominant musical (or dansical) but also an example of the musical theatre Gesamtkunstwerk (Total Art Work), with its integrative musical construct/aesthetic. As such, Kykunkor represents a liminal form of the musical, setting the precedent for future musical theatre hybrids, variants, and/or mutations while serving as an example of complexity, diversity, and fluidity within the genre.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
