Dancers' Paradise : DHQ Dancers feel undervalued

Junior Scott, manager for DHQ Dancers, argues that his charges have been taking dancehall to the world. Scott told THE WEEKEND STAR that although the ladies have consistently shown their chops, they do not get the credit they deserve in the business.

He believes that the trio should be given accolades for how effortlessly they manage to garner international attention, and by extension, promote dancehall music and culture. Scott posits that the dancers have become a vital part of dancehall, but still are not credited or paid for the widespread promotion their work offers.

"I work with a lot of artistes, and I've never seen this before," he said. "People bawl when dem see dem. It's like they are dancehall, in a way," Scott said.

DANCEHALL SPOTLIGHT

In 2015, the DHQ Dancers were the faces of Magnum Tonic Wine. Now they are attached to the Remy Martin brand, and have begun their attempt to claim their share of the dancehall spotlight.

DHQ Dancers comprises Nickeisha, the inventor of the Needle Eye Whine, Sher, who was an international Dancehall Queen in 2012, and RenÈe, the inventor of the Puppy Tail dance.

Scott claims that when the girls posted clips of themselves dancing on social media, the response was overwhelming.

"They posted, and in an hour we get over a hundred calls," Scott told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"I was shocked at the influence they have on dancehall culture," he added.

He said DHQ Dancers asked him to help them with a one-off booking, which evolved into him being fully responsible for the DHQ Dancers' business dealings.

"I never worked with dancers before," he said.

Regardless, Scott recognized the potential of the trio as a lucrative promotional entity, and they have been under his management for the past year. Now, he believes that the DHQ Dancers are undervalued in dancehall.

"Everyday artistes call to ask if they can promote their songs," he said. "But because they are dancers, people are not willing to pay for bookings or promotions."

So far, The DHQ Dancers have already shown off their dance skills in Russia, Panama, the Bahamas, Antigua and England. Scott told THE WEEKEND STAR that there are requests to perform in the United States, but the group awaits work permits before venturing into that space.