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How to Dance Reggae Dancehall

The Reggae Dancehall style of dance draws from many influences. It is performed to Dancehall music, which got its name from Jamaican "dance halls," places where locals enjoy rhythmic music and dance freely. Dancehall music has the same steady, groovy bass line as traditional reggae music while incorporating faster, electronic beats and sounds. Reggae dancehall music has a clear four beats per measure time signature, meaning every phrase of music can be counted in four beats. Reggae Dancehall dancing is a repetitive, tribal looking expression that has melded with popular club styles such as hip hop.

Things You'll Need

  • Comfortable, supportive shoes (i.e. sneakers)
  • Open floor space
  • Dancehall music
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Instructions

  1. The "Step On Line"

    • 1

      Stand with your knees slightly bent. Notice the drum and bass guitar sounds as you listen to the music. Allow your body to bounce to the beat, letting the knees soften and notice how your body naturally wants to follow the beats of the music. Get comfortable with counting 1, 2, 3, 4 to the sounds of the drum and bass as you bounce to the music. Say the numbers out loud to start, and as you get the hang of it, start counting in your head.

    • 2

      Stand comfortably with your feet about hips width distance apart. Practice bending your knees keeping two feet on the floor on the 1 count of the music. Transfer your weight to your right foot, and lift your left foot in front of you as though you were kicking a soccer ball with the inner arch of your left foot forward---do this on the 2 count of the music.

    • 3

      Continue this pattern, changing feet. Always bend both knees with two feet on the floor on the 1 and 3 count and lift one foot at a time, alternating between left and right each time.

    • 4

      Explore slight variations as you become comfortable with these two movements. For example, allow your hips to sway from side to side as you bend your knees. Or put your lifted foot behind your standing leg instead of extending it forward.

    The "Single Butterfly"

    • 5

      Find a wide stance (wider than hip width) with your toes pointed outward slightly. On the 1 count, put most of your body weight into your right foot as you simultaneously come onto the ball of your left foot and turn your left knee in toward the center of your stance.

    • 6

      Let the knee swivel in and out, and on the 2 count, place your left foot back on the floor, returning to your original stance.

    • 7

      Alternate between sides once you get the hang of this in and out motion with the knee. First swivel the left knee in while on the ball of the left foot, then swivel the right knee in while on the ball of the right foot. Remain steady by supporting most of your body weight on your standing leg (the leg that's not swivelling).

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