Dancers say unity is strength...

While dancing in a group shows uniformity and may even have stronger presence, some dancers believe there are more advantages to dancing.

Early this year, Overmars left the Ravers Clavers dance group and instead of dancing alone, he started another group, Above A Dem.

"Mi enjoy it both ways. Most of mi shows overseas, a mi alone. Mi have mi solo name. Sometimes people only waan book Overmars. A nuh all di time people waan book the group," he told THE STAR.

He said he could have danced alone all the time but he prefers being in a group so that he can help to guide other young talented dancers. In addition, he said group dancing shows a greater level of uniformity.

"In a group, yuh have uniformity. Wi (Above A Dem) do a roadshow with LIME the other day and the people dem a seh wi uniform and neat. But a di same compliment mi get when mi dance solo. Mi is a youth wey dance with the whole a mi body," Overmars said.

John Bling from Black Blingaz believes dancing in a group is better.

"It's better to dance as a group 'cause they look more unformed than a single dancer. People like to see us dancing together in a choreographed format," he told THE STAR.

There is a problem, however, when the group is large, as some promoters do not want to book all the dancers because that is expensive. But in Black Blingaz, only four of the dancers travel from Jamaica for performances. The other two members live in New York, so it is less expensive for them to do shows in the United States.

That is an issue another dancer Marvin mentioned.

"To dance by yourself, you get more bookings. When you in a group with three or four people, the promoter haffi buy ticket fi everybody," said Marvin, whose popularity soared after a video-taped accident with a female dancer at Dutty Fridaze got many views on the Internet.

He also said promoters would also have to find accommodation for everyone. As a solo dancer, only one room is necessary and the money made from performances would not be shared.

Mystic said she was once part of a dance group but that did not work out. Being on her own, she said she had the advantage of freestyling more during performances. But she said it can become lonely.

But in a packed dancehall setting, Mystic said: "You have to work twice as hard to get yourself out there."

Source: Jamaica Star