Latonya Style grateful for Freedom Street highlight

On Tuesday, all roads led to the National Stadium for the long-awaited 'event of the century' - Vybz Kartel's Freedom Street.

Riding on the waves of success, veteran dancehall dancer Latonya Style ended the year on a high note as one of the ensemble performers for the Worl' Boss himself at the event.

"I was the only veteran on the stage that night. And it was beautiful to watch the vision come to life, shining among the sea of these talented new age dancers," said Style, given name Latonya Dillon.

Spending more than two decades in the dancehall industry, it is inspiring to see the expert keeping up with the next generation of entertainers. During the showcase on New Year's Eve, Style was seen pedalling in style to the sound of Kartel as he performed his classic hit, Bicycle. Appearing on the big screen, the seasoned dancer brought energy and signature flair to the stage and was applauded by fans for her effortless execution of moves.

"Kartel is Worl' Boss for a reason. And even though he crosses many generations, he is from my era. So the fact that I was selected to be one of his dancers was incredible. And it was an honour to perform with him," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Style has had previous encounters with Kartel, working on a video shoot with him. But it came as a huge surprise when he took the opportunity to not only refer to her by name, but recognise her work as well.

"He made sure I was on his show. He was even calling me a legend and offering to take a photo with me. That, by far, is one of the biggest highlights of my career," she said. If that support wasn't remarkable enough, this dancer, who is also a published author, received a shining endorsement from Kartel for her new book, Female Dancehall Theory: Jamaican Dance and Fashion.

"We know Kartel to have a wide vocabulary because he loves to read. So to add my book to his collection is not something I take lightly. I have nothing but love and respect for him. And I am happy that I was able to participate in this revolutionary performance. This was definitely a win for dancehall," she said.

In his endorsement of Dillon's book, Kartel said, "You see da book ya weh she write? It ago guh far. It's about the dance and the fashion of the females in Jamaica as it relates to the dancehall genre. It's being brought to you by Latonya and it's being represented by Mr Palmer," he said.

Noting that this is a performance that she will cherish forever, Style said she is looking forward to more blessings for 2025.