Canadian university offers dancehall course

A Canadian university is now offering a new course inspired by Jamaica's dancehall culture. The institution, the Simon Fraser University, which is based in British Columbia, has introduced a course called Introduction to Dance Forms: Contemporary and Popular Subject: Dancehall History and Fundamentals.

The course is being taught by Jamaica-born, Vancouver-based dancer and choreographer, Mikhail Morris. In a story published on the university's official website, the university said the course is a combination of theory and dance.

Morris created the curriculum to teach the socio-historical factors that inspired the creation of reggae and dancehall music and culture.

The university said that students who take the course can expect to attain a better understanding of the Jamaican culture and living experiences expressed through the actual music and dance.

Students are being taught dance steps. They are also being taught to listen to the music to contextualize the lyrics.