Matthew Richards navigating dance during the pandemic

The message shared by many is that working overseas provides more opportunities for growth and development.

While that statement might be true, making a living abroad is no bed of roses. And when you level the playing field with the global pandemic of COVID-19, the thought of life changing for the better would seem far-fetched.

"Life is pretty much the same for everyone now, enuh," Matthew Richards told Dancers' Paradise. The dancer, who is an active member of popular dance group Shady Squad, branched out into collaborative efforts with Belgian dancer, Marie 'Kerida' Popovski. The duo, who began showcasing their moves back in 2014, developed an intense chemistry on and off the dance floor, gaining the support of many in the dance community, both locally and overseas.

Reputation for dancehall

The pair have been touring the world since 2015, racking up quite a reputation for dancehall and its culture. Travelling back and forth to Jamaica, they were looking forward to touring when the virus forced the entire world to shut down. Since then, they have taken on the learning curve of teaching virtually, a tall task for this physical activity.

"Virtual classes have been okay. I cannot complain but it's harder to keep a connection with people online, especially when it's international students that don't always speak the same language, or children that are more restless and have a higher energy level," he said.

The form of teaching, Richards stated, also affects the earning capabilities. "Money is more complicated though. We basically have to switch our entire work to the Internet and hope that it will still be supported."

But he remains hopeful, noting that simplicity functions as the key to survival even before the pandemic took over. Adjustments have been made to accommodate this new normal, and all the restrictions and protocols that come along with it. "We gotta do what we gotta do. Stopping is not an option. We just have to work now harder than ever to build our virtual audiences," he said.

Currently, the dancing couple are working on some dancehall music to complement the eclectic dance vibe they have created.

"We will soon be releasing a project called 'Sweemix'. That right now has become our major focus, as well as growing our international online audience. We believe that is the direction to go forward in these challenging times until the world opens up again," he said.