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Dance plays a big role in all African cultures. It is a natural function. "If you can walk, you can dance." This is a part of an old African proverb. In addition we know that there are many who cannot walk but can dance. In Europe dance has developed as an art form. A specialist practice, practiced by specialists. A spectacle. Ordinary people pride themselves on not being able to dance. It takes much alcohol and the occasional bet to make someone get on to the dancefloor. This is why so many clubs have tiny dancefloors, with rails for observers and stage lighting, surrounded by a multitude of bars. In African peoples clubs the whole space is a dancefloor with 1 or 2 bars, often in another room. You
will also find people of all ages on the dancefloor. African people
literally dance 'till they drop. |
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True to its African roots dance is a natural function of dancehall. It isn't all about 'get on the floor and do whatever'. People respect the dance and its traditions, they take care to learn the styles and the steps. New dance moves used to appear on the international scene each year. Recently the scene has gone mad, literally. Thanks to DJ's like Elephant Man, mad has become the new scene, and dance moves come and go like badman inna foreign. As with African dance, moves have always been linked to rhythms. Today they are linked to individual records, party style. Nuff purists hate this. It does have a negative effect as many outside of Jamaica aren't able to learn the move before it disappears, it often only lasts as long as the record. This puts them off. However,
after the dry spell of a few years ago it has injected new life on
to the dancefloor and helped to replace gun with fun. |
gOOd tO gO This section aims to demonstrate most of the major moves that have hit the international dancehall scene. Everyone has their own style and will interpret the steps differently. Its often best to see a style done by different people before you start to master it. However once you have the basics you're good to go and should just run with it.
The list of dance moves isn't complete and I'll be adding more of the old styles along with the new ones. If you have any video of moves that aren't here then send them and I'll post them. The moves are listed in a rough chronological order. This is so if you don't know the name you know to look to the end of the list for the new ones. |
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Nuff respect to Candace from the Bashment Stylee Crew for demonstrating the styles. Especially considering she had just bust out herself (from the womb) when the bogle first bust on the dancefloor. |