‘Dancehall Adventures’ with Latonya Style takes on new meaning of nature therapy
Published:Saturday | April 30, 2022 | 12:06 AMStephanie Lyew/ Gleaner Writer -
Finding a river head and trekking to its end, where it meets the seabed, is the ultimate form of therapy, shares professional dancer Latonya Style. For as long as she can remember, there was always a voice in her head telling her to take a leap into unknown adventures like dancing into a daring cliff-dive or chasing waterfalls, all for inspiration.
The ‘staycation’ lifestyle created the perfect landscape for many Jamaicans like her to seek entertainment, relaxation, adventure or a little of all three, and she turned the adversity into opportunity. Revisiting a business model she launched in 2017, called Dancehall Adventures, Latonya Style is finding new purpose in combining her earlier experience within the hospitality industry and advocacy for dancehall music, dance and nature therapy.
“I’ve been immersed in a culture of hospitality and travel through my professional career,” says Latonya Style, whose first job was as an entertainment coordinator at a popular hotel, “providing service and exceeding expectations by not only giving guests what they want, but what they need or don’t have or may not experience where they are from”.
She added, “At one point, requests for classes drastically declined because persons could participate virtually and those visiting went straight to the hostels that offered dancing sessions privately.”
She is aware that even though willing to greet Latonya Style as a master dance instructor, there are many who might baulk at hailing her as an adventurer, to which she offers, “it all started with the DanceJA Academy team members, with whom, I would visit local hotspots to film dance instructional videos and choreography to promote our work while showcasing our beautiful island”.
The notable dancer adds, “It also transformed into my personal adventures, especially to places with water-based activities. I can’t remember my first time travelling, as I would have been a pre-teen but, through The ASHE Company, as a teenager, then by touring with artistes, dancing was my ticket to see other countries. I’ve always been a nature lover, (so) when my own students started to request me to take them to local tourist attractions, it always ignited something within me.”
Over the years, she adopted an attitude of adventure to get the most out of life and her career, and held the mantra that “adventures are not reserved for the rich, accomplished or tourists”, instead that everyone – outsiders or residents – should take simple breaks from normal, everyday life, “to explore everything around you and discover new places that make you become one with nature”.
Recalling a trip to Japan, the dancer-turned-tour operator said she was given a direct view into nature therapy and how serious it was for people of other countries.
“Soaking in a natural stream or hot bath and massages outdoors took on a new meaning – it counts as one of the most memorable trips for me, and taught me that it was important as a way to take care of myself. Nature therapy is as simple as sitting in the shallow area of the beach, because saltwater relaxes the muscles, to hiking to falls and dancing in the water to help your muscles. Instead of going into a dance every night, get away and catch some new breeze in the countryside, and you can take your music with you,” she says.
Quizzed about her latest personal adventures, she will tell you that, for the past three years, her inner hodophile has been aroused to take steps to undiscovered peaks. She has created one-day tour packages that cover up to five locations at a time. Since the year started, she has done about four excursions with visitors from Chile, Spain, Germany and France, for which she has invited fellow Jamaican dancers to come on in the capacity of ‘dancing tour guides’.
“I’m discovering some of the places, too, but like the idea of including some of those authentic outdoor spaces that promote reggae and dancehall. Some [people] like the falls and the botanical gardens, while others like the sun, sea and sand which actually bring out their creativity, and the packages entail one dance class on a beach or whichever location, transportation, along with the experience of engaging local dancers,” she explained. “With my Chile group, we journeyed to five hotspots in St Ann: Margaritaville, Konoko Falls, Ocho Rios Jerk Centre, and White River for rafting that transitioned to the beach in one day. For one trip, on Ash Wednesday, myself, Dyema Attitude, Monsta Boss and Energy Kidd went on an adventure as Jamaicans for the holiday. It has showed me that I could take classes outdoors rather than be confined to the DanceJA studio.”
She speaks passionately about dancehall, and its potential to be more than a genre of music and a space for entertainment. Incorporating the Jamaican experience through dancehall, dance and discovery of the island’s outdoor offerings makes her, and all she has engaged through Dancehall Adventures, very happy to participate, she said. She has combined entertainment with gardens, beaches, rivers, waterfalls, boat rides and rafting adventures.
“The tours are authentically dancehall because the people are exposed to the culture of the music and dance. The tour guides are Jamaican dancehall practitioners born and raised on the island with years of knowledge and experience, and we educate our guests.The adventures are not only for foreigners visiting the island but also for locals who want to enjoy their own country. But the goal is the same across the board, to encourage more people to come here, to teach them to appreciate dancehall not only by partying, and help to expand the visibility for the places that are visited,” Latonya Style concluded.
See Latonya Style’s top five things to take on an adventure:
1. Cash
2. Camera
3. Water shoes
4. Sun screen/Insect repellent with SPF 30
5. Good vibes