By Andre Jebbinson, Staff Reporters

Sample Six dancers give motorists a show at Passa Passa. - Nathaniel Stewart

You see them everywhere, from the street of Passa Passa to the latest dance videos the performers who are commonly referred to as streets dancers - not that they are from the streets, but but they lack training from a formal institution.

"It different when you born with something. Mi coming like seh mi a di teacher. A wi start it. Memba dat. Memba seh a wi mek it a job. Dancing was just for fun and games," said Garth of Sample Six.

Not inferior

On the other hand, there are dancers who actually pay to attend institutions for a number of years, but are rarely seen. This goes to the core of the ideology of education, that it will take you through the world. However, dance instructor, Neila Ebanks, does not want the desire for dancers to get training to be misconstrued, as trained dancers regard street dancers as inferior, but that training can only make them better.

"We recognise the value of studying the field you're in. We see that it can benefit dancehall if they study it in-depth," Ebanks said. "We don't want people in places like Europe and (Asia) to break down what we see as natural and probably end up doing it better than we can."

This is not to say opportunities do not exist for trained dancers," Ebanks said. She told of some of her students who have become members of dance companies and some who have found summer and full-time employment in the tourism sector.

"Right now, the market is more open to street dancers because of the popularity of dancehall and dancing in dancehall. This is not to say there isn't a market for trained dancers. We don't just prepare the dancers for Jamaica, but for the world."

Ebanks went on to say dancers can create opportunities for themselves. According to Taz of Timeless Dancers, people around the world are requesting their talents because of the genre or energy they get from street dancers.

He said occasions such as the prime minister's gala and other state events are reserved for trained dancers. Besides, he also said, street dancers' moves are often imitated.

"Wi party wid dem sometimes and most of the routines they use is our style. Seeing dat dem use our style, dem can't look down on us," he said.

He continued: "Honestly, we are above them, but we don't look down on them. Me just come from Japan. Nobody nah guh book dem fi come si dem stan' up on dem foot. A dancehall dem want to see."