Throwback Thursdays: Best dance imports from Jamaica

Dance has always been a form of self expression. For most Nairobi urbanites, busting a new dance move means more than just a step. It means swag, expression and street credibility.

Enter dance hall.

Growing up in Eastlands, crews would battle each other perhaps as a result of the competitive nature of the music, as sound systems often battle too in Jamaica to see who’s the best.

For over 30 years, the dance-hall movement keeps on pushing hard to date. The era beginning 2005 marked a change in dancehall and the music as we know it here in Kenya. It was this time that dancers started to emerge even in high schools, with the likes of Al-kaeda and FBI dancers making a name for themselves.

Artists like Elephant Man and Voicemail pushed hard with hit after hit on new dance styles, riding high on the popularity of the music and the dances.

Here are some of the best dance steps from back in the days.

Wacky Dip

Started by the late Mr. Wacky, the trio of Voicemail brought this dance move alive. It was so good it had Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge and Suarez dance to it at Anfield in their duo partnership scoring magic.

Gully Creepa

Created by the late street dancer, Ice, the dance style is part of a ghetto aping of how bad men would hide from police and creep up on their own brothers and sisters and kill them for what they have. This is according to Urban Dictionary.

Nuh Linga

In Jamaican Patois, it means, Expression used to state that you must not be slow or reluctant in whatever you are doing. I guess that is why Usain Bolt loved this dance.

Willie Bounce

The dance took over and had Sean Paul and Ele, both doing it in their songs.


Skip to My Lou

This dance was a favourite then and still is even when QQ came to Kenya back then.

Sweep

This is the dance that got Nairobians sweeping the clubs with their legs, literally.

Pon di river

pon-di-river, pon-di-bank; everyone sang those lyrics and danced this move out.

Hot wuk

This was for the ladies.