Dancehall Origins 4th Edition took place in London on Saturday 10 March, with invited artists Orville Hall (teaching for the first time ever in the UK) and Shelly Xpressionz – back by popular demand.
We started the day with a 1hr lecture by Orville on the origins and evolution of Dancehall, setting the tone for the day by sharing cultural knowledge – rooted in Dancehall Origins’ core values.
After this, Shelly led a ‘Female Fierceness inna Dancehall Style’ workshop, focusing on the power and importance of the whine for female dancers.
Next, Orville’s class ‘From Den ’til Now’ included current popular steps such as Hectic Dymondz ‘Walk’ and Dansa Bling’s ‘Top Dat’ right back to ‘Step Ova’, ‘Bogle’ and so much more – with incomparable energy!
To close the day we had Shelly and Orville together, demonstrating how to adapt male steps to include female energy in the Dancehall space, as well as correcting common mistakes and exploring choreography.
This was an incredible day. With just over two weeks to promote, we saw 50 dancers participate (with some travelling from Bristol, Huddersfield, Argentina and Taiwan) and even had guest appearances from the legend ‘H’ Patten and Urkle (the creator of Urkle Dance).
Over six hours of Dancehall excellence!
Check out our highlights videos from our First, Second, Special and Third Editions and visit the website for further information on upcoming events.