Dancers the heartbeat of dancehall – Shelly Belly

For more than two decades, Shelly Belly has remained one of dancehall’s most recognisable dancers and entertainers. From creating iconic dance moves including the Shelly Belly, Nineties Rock, Cow Foot, Knock E Ball, and the viral Fling Chain, to performing on Jamaica’s biggest stages and earning the title of dancehall’s ‘Dancing King’ locally and across the globe, he continues to champion the culture while embracing a new generation. 
Currently in preparation mode for his one-of-a-kind dance extravaganza at the Magnum Endz during A Taste of Reggae Sumfest set for Saturday, July 18, at Plantation Cove in St Ann, Shelly Belly, who has been dancing since 1999, is only too aware of the moves he needs to make to remain relevant.  
“Every day mi love dancing more and more,” he told The Gleaner.

“Mi never feel like stop because dancehall is everything to me. From school days until now, mi never work anywhere else, dancehall is my work, I have to stay passionate about the thing that also supports my lifestyle,” he explained, adding that he was never content to sit on his laurels, and always put in the hard work that has ensured that he reaps success.
His motivation comes from the recognition that he receives from fans, as well as from artistes like all Vybz Kartel “who tell me seh me a di baddest”. 
Quizzed about his secret to staying relevant through several generations of dancehall, the dancing maestro was quick to point out that there is, in fact, “no secret”.  The simple recipe, he told The Gleaner, is to love what you are doing and most importantly show the young generation support. 
“Dem nah go dance exactly like me, and mi nah pretend seh mi better than them either. I learn from them while teaching dem. Dancehall always evolves, I keep up with the new styles without leaving behind the old-school flavour that made people know Shelly Belly. All of that put together keeps me relevant,” he said
Getting a bit nostalgic, however, he shared that there is something that he misses about the old days of dancehall. In one word, the “energy”, which he said was different from what it is now.
“The girls used to embrace dancehall more. Nowadays plenty a them just want to stand up and look pretty and “dolly down”. Back then, everybody came to dance and enjoy themselves. That raw dancehall vibe is something I definitely miss,” Shelly Belly shared.
But, he vows to bring that type of energy to the Magnum Endz at Reggae Sumfest on Saturday, to give  dancehall lovers a taste of the old school mixed in with the new. 
Shelly Belly, whose slick dance moves have been the source of much excitement in numerous music videos, willingly took a stroll down memory lane as he recalled what he described as one of the most memorable, and career-defining music videos he has worked on.
“One of the biggest moments was dancing in Beenie Man’s Dude video, alongside Ms Thing and the American rapper Shawnna and then seeing it air on BET. That was one of my dreams come true. Since that video, me perform pon every major stage in Jamaica ... Sting, Reggae Sumfest, Dream Weekend, and mi travel the world. Japan call me king, Bermuda name me a king, and when I went to Africa, the love was unbelievable. Those moments remind me how far dancing can take you,” he declared. 
He has a message  for the next generation of dancers who want to follow in his footsteps: Love what you’re doing, stay focused, keep learning, respect the culture, and support one another because dancehall is bigger than any one person. 
“Before social media, we had to run down the video light just to get noticed. Now everybody has a platform to showcase themselves, so use it wisely. Without dancers, dancehall loses a big part of its identity. That’s why mi still out here doing my part to keep the culture alive while taking Shelly Belly to the world. So, to all the Magnum Reggae Sumfest patrons, come out early, come to the Magnum Endz and experience the dancing sessions with me,” Shelly Bell said.
entertainment@gleanerjm.com