To the onlooker, Rifical Team is just another group of street dancers who provide entertainment at the nightly street dances and, in some way, manage to earn a living using the art of dance.

But when one digs beyond the surface it becomes clear that these youngsters are making a contribution to the preservation and growth of the Jamaican brand and culture.

Rifical Team, which has its base on Lyndhurst Road in the Corporate Area, had its genesis about five years ago when young friends, who describe their talent as “in-born” decided to form their own group after a series of disappointments as members of other dance troupes. However, before the split, the seed was already sown as to how they could share their talents with an eager audience, particularly in Europe, which was hunger for the indigenous sounds and movements from Jamaica.

As a result, individual members have shared their talents in markets such as Russia, Finland, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Portugal, Sweden and the UK. Closer home they have toured, performed and taught classes in The Cayman Islands, Barbados and the United States.

For head of the troupe Michael ‘Sri Lanka Rifical’ Taylor, the aim is to take dancehall to the world.

“Dancehall is really global, and as much as we like to go overseas and teach these people the moves and share dancehall with them, we want to bring more of them to Jamaica so they can see the real ting. Dancehall is not just about the music and dancing, it is a whole culture and nothing beat the real experience.”

As a result, since 2014 Rifical Team has been organising trips, inviting Europeans to come to Jamaica for the complete dancehall experience. Their efforts have been assisted by Danish national Amalie Zaar who has now become a member of Rifical.

“ Growing up in Denmark, I heard a lot of reggae and dancehall music and saw the dance moves but didn’t know where it came from. It took me about five years to figure out what this music was and where it came from. Once I realised it was from Jamaica, I wanted to come and experience this for myself. I have got to see it as much more than dance, it is a culture… it is in everything — the food, the dress and even the struggle of the people. I am from a very rational culture, and so we are not passionate. When we come here, see the passion that Jamaicans put into their culture, it is breathtaking and we want to share in something like that to provide a balance in our lives. In addition, when we are taught by Jamaicans — whether it is here in Jamaica or in Europe — we are giving back to the right people. Too often we don’t give back to the right people,” Zaar told

Splash.

Taylor also commented on that point, noting that a lot of Europeans have a different view of what dancehall is all about and often confuse it with Ragga Jam.

“Ragga Jam is a technique which is a mixture of hip hop and dancehall. A lot of people study this as dancehall. When dancers from Jamaica go to Europe to teach, or we bring people here, they are getting the real experience,” he noted.

In the past year Riffical Team has brought down four groups from Europe. Each group consisted of between 10 and 13 dancers, and they stay in Jamaica for anywhere between two and three weeks.

“Whole heap a people benefit when our groups come down: taxi man, video man, the man who sell jerk chicken, the people who rent rooms so they can stay, the food man. We take them everywhere so they can see the culture live — Uptown Mondays, Boasy Tuesdays, Weddy Weddy; everything is part of dancehall and we want them to have that experience,” explained Ramone ‘TG Rifical’ Robinson.

For the dancers, the the international experience can prove invaluable as Nicholas ‘Rifical Trice’ Robinson shared.

“I was in Europe for four months teaching dance. In a class in Barcelona one of my students was the cousin of footballer Neymar. Later that night I was performing at a club and when I look, Neymar walk in with Iniesta and Messi. I got the chance to meet them and could not stop thinking that it was dancing that give me that opportunity.”

For 2016, Rifical Team plans to continue on the foundation they have laid and share Jamaica’s rich culture with those willing to learn.