To 9-year-old Izzy Watson, dance is a blessing — and he's ready to spread the gospel of Dancehall

He wants everyone to share in the feeling of exuberance that dancing gives him

Image | The Move: Izzy Watson – Name Title

(CBC Arts)

Dance runs in Izzy Watson's family — he can remember dancing with his older sisters when he was as young as four years old. Now, at nine, he's already schooling future generations on the art of Dancehall.
Last season on The Move, choreographer Edz introduced us(external link) to two iconic Dancehall moves: "Back to Basics" and "Easy Does It." In this episode, Izzy takes it one further, grooving us through three more of the genre's popular moves — Nuh Linga, Gwara Gwara, and Fling Yuh Shoulda — that you can bust out at your next house (or Zoom) party.

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Rooted in the African diaspora, born in Jamaica, and shared with the world, Dancehall is a style of dance, music, fashion, and culture all its own. Izzy was introduced to it by his family, and he's a firm believer that anyone can and should do it because of how it makes him feel.

Image | The Move: Izzy Watson – Expressions GIF

(CBC Arts)

"When I dance, I just can't stop feeling nice. It's like an angel just rained down on you and then is giving you a blessing."
After watching him spread the gospel in his exuberant performance, it's clear to see that the future of Dancehall is in good hands.
The Move 3: Kids features performances from nine of the most incredible young dancers in Canada. Find out more and stream the full series now on CBC Gem.

Image | The Move: Izzy Watson – GFX GIF

(CBC Arts)