Grace shines on dancers

Erin Hansen, Gleaner Writer

Local dancers are claiming a new film from Tower Isle Productions, A Dance for Grace, will shine a much-needed light on the Jamaican dancehall.

"Dancers need more exposure because we get pure fight," a young dancer named Kamada, from the group HP Dancers, told The Gleaner.

The film tells the story of an American dance troupe that travels to Jamaica to learn local dancehall styles before returning home to compete for a reward to help their sick neighbour, Grace.

Producers of the film are preparing for its November 17 release by hosting an ongoing dance competition at venues throughout the Kingston Metropolitan Area, giving some of the local dancers the exposure they have been vying for.

Local dancers from HP Dancers, WellRich, Fadda Pow and BombSquad, who play minor roles in the film, came out to take part in the competition, which encourages dancers to create their own Dance for Grace dance move.

Competition

The first competition, held at the popular Uptown Mondays, provided The Gleaner with the opportunity to get closer.

"At home, everybody laughs and says, 'dancing nah guh nowhere', and so we have to bring it out to the fullest," said Kamada.

In the film, HP Dancers face off against the American dance troupe in a competition at Rajmaville. The local dancers held their footing in the film, featuring their own flare on the floor. "At first, we pree what they were going to do but we never know they have it lock like how we have it lock, so we had to show them even though it's a movie, it's still a competition same way," said Reno from HP.

Fadda Pow, from the self-titled dance troupe, pointed out the struggles in getting a moment in the spotlight.

"To be a dancer you have to fight the hard way. You can't just give up and say yah nah get through. You have to keep on doing your work. Every night we go out and dance."

Positives

Group members were also quick to speak up about the positives of being part of a dance troupe.

"We are not a crew, not a gang, we are a family," Kevin from the group WellRich emphasised.

For the dancers, preserving the sacred place of the dance is of utmost importance because it keeps them focused.

"Violence nah guh nuh where," Reno said. "Dancing keeps us on a firm meditation. It keeps us far from certain wrongdoings that other people indulge in, because instead of going to do that, we go to a party and enjoy ourselves."

With early curfews in effect for dances across St Andrew and St Catherine, losing that session is a fear for many dancers.

"Jamaica have to take serious the culture, because very soon we'll lose the culture if we don't," Kevin from WellRich said, referring to the negative attitude towards the unconventional style of Jamaican dancehall dancers.

The winners of each round in the Dance for Grace dance competition are chosen based on their authentic style and will move forward to the finals, which take place at the Limelight Nightclub on November 13. Winners of the competition will receive a cash prize.