Dancehall Road March back on the road
Published:Friday | November 24, 2023 | 12:09 AM
With the massive setback from COVID-19 pandemic now behind them, the conceptualisers of the Dancehall Road March, Whirlwind International Group,
returned with a relaunch last Tuesday at MECA, in the Marketplace complex, Constant Spring Road in Kingston.
Whirlwind International, established in 2011, says it is “championing the authentic expression of dancehall and disrupting the traditional order to ensure that the culture remains respected”.
Group CEO Michael Dawson, stated, “As work takes me across the globe, I have concluded that our style, our fashion ... our vibe, the dancehall vibe ... is one of the best in the world but has never gotten its own march and platform for the global market penetration. That is the vision of Dancehall Road March. Our company does a lot of work in Africa and Europe. Whilst there, I am always asked if Jamaica has for dancehall what Trinidad and Brazil have for their genres. As a dancehall aficionado, frustrated, I initially linked Carlene Smith [Dancehall Queen] in 2019 and said ‘Let’s go!’”
Carlene, the pioneering style and dance maeven, and producer/lead ambassador for the revived event, reiterated the commitment to a dancehall-focused event, even as the genre adopts the road march element popularly associated with soca and the carnival festivities.
“I firmly believe that dancehall can stand tall on its own feet and propel itself globally and this is our aim with this project, which we believe the public deserves to experience,” Carlene said in outlining the decision to keep the faith in the event and to relaunch.
The street procession will kick off on Boxing Day, December 26, and will feature live performances and dancehall-themed fashion shows as well as special guest appearances from the music and fashion worlds. Participants will also have dancehall-themed outfits.
Stone Love sound will keep the vibes high and pace the festivities with all the greatest selections, and the queen herself will be very much on hand and active throughout the day to give the event her own inimitable stamp.
Carlene added that the aim is to start in Jamaica and to take the event worldwide.
She also noted that the genre continued to come under intense scrutiny and attack from some quarters, despite its unquestionable contributions to the Jamaican economy and to the increasing power and reach of Brand Jamaica as a cultural and entertainment beacon admired by millions, across the globe.
“Dancehall, going back even to the sound system foundation, is part of Jamaican culture and has become a global phenomenon in its own right. We even witness acknowledgement by our brothers in the hip-hop world that that genre owes its birth to the Jamaican dancehall and sound system foundation. So we want to recognise dancehall and reaffirm it as uniquely Jamaican and to give it its rightful place, as the sound and the creative expression of the people,” Carlene said.
Even though the event incorporates the road march concept, Carlene points out that the event is not to be viewed as a “competitor” to similar soca events.
“We are confident that there is room for diversity in the entertainment scene, and this is not looking to diminish any other events. We believe in dancehall, and we think there’s a large number of persons who share that belief, even if they also enjoy other styles. We are counting on the support of our fellow Jamaicans who support our culture here and abroad.”
Born to a Jamaican mother and a father of German descent, Carlene first served notice of her dancehall proficiency as a teenager at local parties. While there were women in the dancehall before her emergence, Carlene can be said to have shone the national spotlight on dancehall women dancers, as the first Dancehall Queen. She has inspired many in Jamaica and around the world and can be seen in many music videos, movies, documentaries and featured in newspapers and magazines. In addition, Carlene created the popular dance move the Butterfly.