AFTER THE DESTRA INCIDENT, JAMAICAN DANCERS PROMISED TO WINE WITH CAUTION!

By Sherita Grizzle—

Following news that soca star Destra was ordered by the court in Belize to pay a man US$8,000 (J$1,024,000) for damages he sustained while dancing with her, local dancers have vowed to be more careful.

Bacchanal in Jamaica

Admitting that sometimes the dancing gets a bit too acrobatic, some said they are taking the lawsuit as a wake-up call.

But they insist that as long as the acrobatics are still in high demand, they will indulge; but with caution. Dancer TC, creator of Hooku Whine, said it is her job to entertain the crowd.

“Me a di type weh nuh really do it (the acrobatic dancing) on a regular basis, me just do it because a me job. A dem acrobatic something deh di people dem love in a dancehall,” she said.

TC said that while the acrobatics have become part of the routine for many dancers, the lawsuit should at least act as a measuring stick for all.

“I can’t manage a lawsuit at this moment. As dancers, I think we can tone it down a little to be on the safer side. When me a dance wid di man dem, me nuh do things fi hurt dem, me more fear dem hurt me so we affi be very, very careful,” she said.

Avoid mishaps

Destra in action

Fellow dancer DHQ Danger said dancers have to be more aware of their surroundings to avoid mishaps.

“As a dancer, you must can estimate if yuh jump there what would happen. For instance, if the person is at the edge of the stage, you would a try pull dem away from that area because you know if yuh jump him might slip,” she said

She explained that many men will never back down from dancers as they don’t want to look weak.

“But you can estimate your body weight as a dancer. If the guy weh yah go dance wid too skinny or so forth, you avoid jumping on him because you know him might get hurt, fracture a bone, sprain somewhere or supmn,” she said.

The dancers sought to assure the public that the chance of being severely injured while engaging in a dance is highly unlikely.

However, attorney Delano Franklyn has advised dancers against continuing with these acrobatic dance moves.

“All practitioners of the art of dancing, particularly those who are quite aggressive against others, need to be aware of it (the case), need to read it, need to understand it, and conclude that claims may be filed against them if a patron believes that they have encountered physical injury as a result of an aggressive act by an entertainer,” he said.