For the second consecutive year, an elimination show in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission World Reggae Dance Championship was held in Tokyo, Japan which established the platform for the Dance Championship to become a global event while promoting Brand Jamaica.
Over thirty thousand persons attended the One Love Jamaica Festival on June 21 and June 22 organized by the One Love Jamaica Festival Committee (Japan) with support from the JCDC for the staging of one of the eliminations of the 2014 World Reggae Dance Championship.
The five participating groups were judged by five dance professionals, two from Jamaica and three from Japan with the judging process compliant with the rules and guidelines of the competition. Winning group, “JA to JA” consisting of two females and three males was quite happy to be selected as the winner noting their enthusiasm to participate in the Championship Finals on August 4, 2014 at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston.
JCDC Competition Coordinator, Juliet Cowan-Morgan who was present at the Festival noted that “the One Love Jamaica Festival was accentuated by Jamaican flavors, with Jamaican music and food such as Jerk Chicken, Jerk Pork, Festival and Rice and Peas and Red Stripe Beer. Several stages were setup at different locations operating simultaneously but it was the Jamaican stage which attracted a large crowd, almost taking away from the main stage.”
Mrs. Cowan-Morgan added that among the features of the Festival was a Bob Marley Song Competition for the best arranged Bob Marley Song. The competition’s winner received a trip to Jamaica. Several Jamaican artistes also performed at the Festival including: Lacadco Dance Group, Raddy Rich, DJ Gana Gana, Macka Ruffin, and Eric Donaldson and were well received by the enthusiastic crowd.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the JCDC and the One Love Jamaica Festival Committee (Japan) which established the sale of the World Reggae Dance Championship Franchise to host the elimination show during the One Love Jamaica Festival.
The JCDC World Reggae Dance Championship began in 2006 in an effort to give national and international exposure to talents that exist in Reggae, Roots and Dancehall genres. Since its inception, the Championship has received entrants from the dance communities across Jamaica and overseas. In 2009, the first group from Japan entered the championship and was placed second.
The World Reggae Dance Championship Finals which will be held on Monday, August 4 will feature 12 Jamaican finalists along with the 2013 winner, Japanese group Attack Dem Squad, 2013 second place winner, Japanese group Yallow Yellow and this year’ Japanese finalist JA to JA.
