Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine April 2018 | Page 736

Judy and Mikhail
shared with Mélange . . .
About the Dancehall Course being taught
at Simon Fraser University
MIKHAIL: The Simon Fraser University course
is FPA 120: Dancehall History & Fundamentals
which I created and lead. It is a combination
of practical and theory whereby I focus on the
historical factors of Jamaican independence,
demographics, and politics (government)
which provides a foundation for students to
progressively understand the music, dance,
and expression of the people that gave birth to
reggae and dancehall culture.
The objective of the course is for students to
attain a greater understanding of Jamaican
Dancehall history and culture. Students are also
introduced to the fundamentals of Old, Middle,
and New School dance movement vocabulary,
grooves, and self-expression.
About the forms of dance they studied and
similarities if any, with Dancehall
JUDY: I grew up learning a variety of dance styles
at different dance studios - mainly tap and street
jazz; and I’m currently learning Afrobeats and the
dances of the African Diaspora to compliment
my knowledge and training Dancehall. Between
the studio dances (ie. tap and street jazz) that I’ve
learned there are more differences than similarities
between Dancehall dance and these styles because
Dancehall dance was not born in a studio with
mirrors. The expression and technique between
studio dance (ie. Ballet, tap, contemporary etc.)
and urban dance (ie. Dancehall) is very different.
Dancehall requires referencing the culture and
people to dance as well as, at it’s core, is about
freeing up yourself, being grounded, loose posture,
and just having fun. For example, in Dancehall the
chest and shoulders are relaxed, dancing is very
low and grounded to the floor, and the entire body
grooves (a lot of body waves). Tap and street jazz is
more about technique and the flow, postures, and
intention of the movements are different.