Before powerhouse Beyoncé was given the gift of Baby Blue Ivy when she delivered this past January 7th, she was the gift-giver. When putting together her music video for her hit song, another women’s anthem, “Run The World (Girls)”, she had a vision that included the authentic influences of African dance. When her team’s choreography didn’t match up to the vision she had – a more raw, unpolished version of the music’s physical interpretation – she turned to an online video she had tucked away in her memory for future reference.

The video was of Mozambican kwaito dance group Tofo Tofo.

(Source: YouTube)

Without further ado, the search for Tofo Tofo was on! Once the unsuspecting group was found, four months later, they were flown to the US and they were ready to work! If you watch the clip, from Beyoncé’s “Year of 4” documentary, you will see that they really weren’t working though. To them, it was simply the sharing of what came naturally to them, the movement, the message, the joy and optimism in their souls. You could see it in their eyes, their smiles and their hearts.

(Source: BeyonceVEVO on YouTube)

The most telling part of the story, proving just how profound the human connection can be, when status, stardom, and celebrity are stripped down, and music is the only common denominator, was when one of the members of the dance group asked Beyoncé her name, as though they genuinely had never heard of her prior to that moment. Coming from two different worlds and backgrounds, the bond that was built throughout the creative process was strong enough to yield a deeply emotional goodbye between them, when it was time to call “It’s a wrap!”

Offering someone deserving an opportunity to express themselves and what they are passionate about, with a platform they otherwise may never have experienced? Priceless…

The finished product…

(Source: BeyonceVEVO on YouTube)

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