Talking I <3 Dancehall with Catherine Pwiti
How long have you been involved in I <3 Dancehall?
Right from the beginning. I remember one of the original promoters approaching me at another reggae/dancehall party prior to the first I <3 Dancehall night back in 2008 and asked me if I would dance at her upcoming event. Back then I was just starting out in my dancing career and was supper excited to be asked to perform, and consequently formed my dance crew Burncity Queenz. So you can pretty much say Burncity Queenz and I <3 Dancehall debuted on the same night, and my dance crew has been a household feature of the I <3 Dancehall brand ever since.
How has I <3 Dancehall evolved over the past four years?
I wouldn’t necessarily say it has ‘evolved’, as the pure, raw, authentic dancehall vibe that the night was founded on, is still very much the essence of what you feel at an I <3 Dancehall party, whether it’s your first experience of Dancehall, or if you’ve been there since day one. I would say, though, that it has adapted more than anything.
What’s planned for the fourth birthday party?
The fourth birthday I dare to say is going to be the biggest I <3 Dancehall event to date. The event will host the second I <3 Dancehall dance battle with 1 on 1 male and female categories to find Melbourne’s official Dancehall King and Queen for 2013. If you have never experience the dance style of dancehall then expect to be jaw smacked and light-headed after the experience because it’s pretty out there to say the least. You will be amazed at what the rear end can do! Apart from the battle the night is jam packed with a huge lineup of local dance acts including my crew Burncity Queenz, Bam Bam Assasins, SO Fine, and Twerkshop, MC’s Apprentice, Dark S.Paid, SK Simeon and Akimera, and DJs So Fire, Troublemekka, Kanso aka Mat Cant, Zare Demus, and Ezu, plus our special guest Mikey Glamour from Sydney who will be on the judging panel for the battles.
What is the best dance crew you’ve ever seen?
That is a hard question, seeing how much amazing talent there is out there and how many styles of dance there are, which captivates me for different reasons, so since we are on the topic of dancehall I guess I’ll narrow it down to that genre only. I would have to say I’m a big fan of Saea Banyana who are an Afro-dancehall crew from Sydney. These girls I have to say are some of the best performers I’ve ever seen, and have a great ability to captivate an audience not only with tight choreography, but with such a beautiful and powerful presence.
What about the strangest?
I have to look to different styles to a breakdance battle I organised years ago at Federation Square where I had a crew of three enter who thought they’d battle their apposing crew using a giant Sudoku puzzle and a Rubiks cube. It was extremely bizarre, until I saw that very same crew featured in the comedy festival and then put two and two together.
Give us a bit of a run down on the different dance crews performing at the fourth birthday.
Dancehall is still very small in Melbourne so there are not many crews that specialise, so we’ve selected a lineup of crews that use dancehall as an influence or have a style with roots in dancehall – all unique and fierce in what they do and guaranteed to blow you away on the night including: my crew Burncity Queenz, which is Melbourne first official dancehall dance crew who will be showcasing new members Rohani, Jess, and Mz Lora alongside Enchante and myself Killa Catl; Bam Bam Assassins led by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore – a sassy afro dancehall fusion with attitude; Jungle City – which is my latest dance project featuring an all-female ensemble of 12 sassy ladies from diverse backgrounds representing pure dancehall; So Fine crew – a fierce and sexy dance crew who mix their love of dancehall and reggaeton under the direction of MINX; and Twerkshop ‘the booty destroyers’, also from the popular club night Hip Hop Hotties. We will also have some special guest solo dancers including Wubshet and if there are any fellas out there who want to come and bust their style on the night you are more than welcome.
When is it and what’s the wallet damage?
I <3 Dancehall’s 4th birthday dance battle is taking place on Friday June 14 at Brown Alley. Doors open at 10pm till late. Entry is $7 before 11pm and $15 after.
