*** pictures of Bogle ****

pic: Bogle

caption: Bogle’s mother (second right) taking a final look at her son.

pic: Bogle_

caption: Paul bearers carrying the body of Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy inside the Kencot SDA Church in St Andrew, on February 6, 2005. (Photo: Observer file)

pic: Latiesha Allen

caption: Latiesha Allen, common-law wife of influential dancer Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy.

By Kevin Jackson

Observer Writer

Latiesha Allen, the common-law wife of influential dancer Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy, will mark the 10th anniversary of his death with an event dubbed, ‘Mr Wacky aka Bogle 10th Memorial Dance Off’.

It takes place January 16 at the Event Centre in Decatur, Georgia. The show will feature a host of Bogle’s colleagues including Dancehall Queen Carlene, dancers Boysie, Craigy Dread, Hope Hype, Dansa and the Wacky Family, as well as sound system Sound Decision and selectors Jiggy Hunks (formerly of Metro Media) and Bugsy Bam Bam.

Bogle, 40, was shot and killed January 20 2005 in Kingston, shortly after leaving the popular Weddy Weddy dance. No one has been prosecuted for his murder.

“Bogle memorial is an event I keep every year in Jamaica or here in the United States. I do this in honour of a dancehall icon gone too soon,” said Allen in an interview with Splash.

Allen, who lives in New York, believes Bogle has not been given the respect he deserves for promoting dancehall culture.

“He is the first male dancer from Jamaica to open the gates overseas for other dancehall dancers to be recognised,” she said. “He is internationally known and loved for his dance moves. He had Japanese, Americans, Europeans, Caribbean nationals an’ people from all over the world coming to Jamaica jus’ to see him perform. He represented for our country.”

Allen is calling for national recognition for the gangly Bogle whom she credits for “opening the eyes of millions of visitors to our island”.

Although she was not legally married to Bogle, Allen said for the 14 1/2 years they were together, she was acknowledged as his wife. This enabled her to conduct and seal business arrangements and contracts at the time of his death.

Now in her early 40s, Allen was in the United States the day Bogle was killed. She prefers to remember his flamboyant personality.

“Bogle was a jovial person, always making up slangs an’ dances. He would wake up in the morning after a party an’ there goes the entire night being re-played by him, talking to friends or whomever he gets to chat with,” Allen reminisced. “His family an’ the members of the Black Roses Crew meant the world to him, especially his mother May. He would move mountains for her.”

Bogle was a key figure in The Black Roses Crew, which was led by William ‘Willie Haggart’ Moore. They attracted numerous entertainers to their ‘Roses’ base at Lincoln Crescent in Kingston.

At the height of his popularity in the 1990s, Bogle appeared in numerous music videos. He was saluted in song by Beenie Man (World Dance) and Buju Banton (Bogle).

Moore and two associates — Noel ‘Big Bunny’ Hinds and Albert ‘Blacka Douche’ Bonner — were killed along Lincoln Crescent in April 2001.

Allen’s union with Bogle produced a daughter named Geraliya. He had three other children prior to their relationship.

Originally from the east Kingston community of Dunkirk, Allen said she met Bogle two years before they officially began dating in 1991.

Since Bogle’s death, Allen has had another child. He remains “the love of my life”.

“My life will never be the same if Bogle was here, all my visit to Jamaica will never be the same,” she stated. “I thank God for my daughter we share together, she is the spark that keeps his memories going in our lives.”