Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Patrons soak in the vibe at Bembe Thursday.

Promoters of various street dances have said that life would be much simpler for them if the new 2 a.m. 'cut-off' time for all dances is implemented and maintained.

However, it is the patrons who have had problems adjusting to a tradition that has been in the making for decades.

According to Dilan, one of the organisers of the weekly Passa Passa street dance, "if police are going to be consistent and do it right across the board, then I am okay with it, but they still need to be lenient and give us a chance to break in the people who come."

"Suh like Passa, if we turn off the music from 2 a.m., wi turn it off to a empty house, suh wah wi can do is turn off at 6, then 5, and so on, so the people will get the point and start turning out early. So all we are asking for is an allowance to give us time to win the people in the right way - give us time and don't come down heavy-handed on us."

Dilan says, "We (as promoters) would love to lock off an can guh a wi bed by 5 a.m. but di people dem done bruck bad already, an is something wey happen ova time, suh wi jus need di time fi break in di people di right way."

Oneil, another organiser of Passa Passa says, "we just need to convince the dance supporters of what is happening and also, if the police enforce this thing straight across the board and not lock off some dance an leave di odda one, then people will take it serious."

When The STAR spoke to some persons who regularly attended these street dances, they said it was very difficult adjusting to the early time.

"Yuh si tru wi use to di late ting already, it come in like it jus nuh natural fi wi sey wi a guh reach a like Passa from all 11-12 a.m. Cause nutt'n nuh normally a gwaan dem time deh. An wah most a wi do pon a Wednesday, a guh Weddy first, an den lef an guh Passa," Trudy said.

Another patron, Dezi says, "Jamaicans will always be like how they are, late and just love to make an entrance. And I think a from deh suh dis whole late ting start wid, an truss mi, it a guh hard fi get out a dah habit deh. Even if yuh have di dance dem a keep earlier, yuh still a guh have those whe want fi reach afta di dance inna full swing."

"As long as it goes for every dance in every area, I agree with it. That's the way it was before and life is a circle, suh wi going full circle," Jodi said.

Another woman, who asked that her name not be published, said dancehall needed to get rid of some of the hype, as that, too, was a contributing factor to dances being held until morning.

"Is di hype mek people start guh a dance late, dem want di morning light catch dem clothes tru dem pay suh much money an dem want people fi see it. An normally, dance nuh start till when di high roller dem come in, suh dat play a big part in di whole late start business, to," she said.

Even one selector, Jigsy, from the Bembe Squad and Dangerzone, said he welcomed the early 'lock-off' time for dances.

"Wid di 2 a.m. issue, bringing back dancehall to where it was, me nuh have a problem wid people a come out early an enjoy dem self, an get time fi guh back home an get some sleep. Mi wish it did guh back from long time," he said. "Wi fi be more disciplined, a dat a mash wi up."

These patrons enjoy themselves on the dance floor while patrons wait for ace deejay Busy Signal in Montego Bay, recently.