Formerly known as Dance Jamaica Cultural Centre, Kingston based dance tutorial hub has officially changed its registered name to Dance Jamaica Academy at the start of 2017.

The official change was done in order to properly signify the growth and expansion of the local dance space and properly certify the inclusion of more formal training courses going forward.

The International Dance Studio and Cultural Centre opened its doors in late 2012 and has been operating in Kingston at 22 Barbican Road Liguanea since the summer of 2013. A diverse set of activities have developed over the years for the Academy and it is now considered a holistic centre for cultural arts development.

Outside of adult dance workshops and fitness classes the Academy also offers classes for children and teens as well as; Cultural workshops, Patois lessons, authentic Jamaican cooking tutorials, local tours and nightlife excursions.

“We go way beyond offering just dance classes as other studios do. Our local and international tours are a major part of business. Jamaican Culture includes dance, entertainment, food, fashion, music and language and we incorporate all of that in our experience. We also invite people from all over the world to participate in these activities and workshops” Latonya Style, CEO of Dance JA Academy, explained

With the rebranding of the institution, they will now start collaborations with local schools inviting them to Dance Jamaica Academy for educational school trips. This year they will also be executing their outreach program, targeting inner city communities, in search of new dancers to train, develop and mentor.

“We want DanceJA to be the go-to-place for dancehall dance and the official space that preserves, protects and promotes Jamaican Culture in all aspects. During our travels around the world dancers and dancehall fans are increasingly visiting Jamaica to study and experience the culture positively impacting tourism while showing the worldwide appreciation for brand Jamaica.” Latonya added

This February and March Latonya will be embarking on her 4th annual tour of Australia and 3rd tour of major parts of Asia. This year, for the first time, she will be lecturing and teaching in the Philippines.

While Latonya is on tour, it will be business as usual for Dance Jamaica Academy as the over 15 competent dance instructors will conduct classes on the extensive DanceJA monthly schedule. For all updates on Latonya’s tour and all Dance JA workshops and classes visit their website www.danceja.com and on social media @dancejamaica.