While this may come as no surprise to some experts and fans of Jamaican music and Jamaica’s music culture, a recent story in the Jamaica Observer newspaper features an interview with University of Technology (UTech) lecturer Dr. Carol Archer, where she says Jamaica’s street dances broker peace and facilitate commerce – an opinion which is clearly opposite to the stance seemingly taken by Jamaica’s security forces that see them being more of a threat to general safety and security.

Dr. Archer said, “… in Telaviv and Spoilers they have used them (street dances) to allow people to come together in a peaceful and collaborative way, so they use the music not just as a cultural expression but as a way to negotiate peace … and so, in some communities where you could not cross that line they have used the performing and visual art in the way that they know best to discuss and resolve issues of conflict in the community.“

She added that street dances are not just cultural expression, because they also make money for the individuals via “fashion, dance, hair and food”. They are a means of economic development for the community … more here.


Male dancers in front of a cameraman at a recent Passa Passa street dance on Spanish Town Road in Kingston

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