Watusi (dance)

[2] "Watusi" is a former name for the Tutsi people of Africa, whose traditions include spectacular dances.

[3][4] The naming of the American dance may have been inspired, in particular, by a scene in the 1950 film King Solomon's Mines which featured Tutsi dancers, or by its sequel Watusi.

The Orlons, a vocal quartet from Philadelphia, had the biggest hit of their career as recording artists with their recording of "The Wah-Watusi" (Cameo 218), which debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on June 9, 1962, and remained on the Hot 100 for 14 weeks; it peaked at #2 and held the position for two weeks.

Also in 1963, Puerto Rican jazz musician Ray Barretto had his first hit with a song called "El Watusi", and—although he didn't invent the dancing style—he came to be typecast as connected to the style.

It was also referenced in the 1967 movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" in a light-hearted conversation, between Matt Drayton and John Prentice, about black teenagers dancing.