YEARS ago weekly dancehall events such as Passa Passa on Spanish Town Road and Dutty Fridaze in Fletcher’s Land provided a platform for dancers to showcase their talent.

Among them was Bone Crusha from Matthews Lane in West Kingston. He is on a campaign to revive dances in the inner city.

“Dancing is from the ghetto, but it gone uptown now. From yuh pass Half-Way-Tree is uptown yuh deh. I like the uptown parties such as Hot Mondays and Boasy Tuesdays, but I wish there were more events like these in the inner cities,” he told

Splash.

Events like the trailblazing Passa Passa broke social barriers and attracted a diverse audience. It also drew sponsors willing to invest in dancehall acts or events.

Bone Crusha said that potential still exists. He believes the return of weekly dances could also help decrease criminal activity in Kingston’s toughest communities.

“It woulda help out a lot of people because nuff likkle man would be able to find a hustling off it, even if is to roast and sell peanut. Man nah go have time to pick up dem gun when party a gwaan an’ girls a dash out,” he said.

Bone Crusha, who is in mid-30s, suffers from rickets — a disorder that results from a lack of Vitamin D, calcium or phosphate.

People with rickets usually have weak or soft bones, stunted growth, and, in severe cases, skeletal deformities.

These days Bone Crusha (given name Aldean Kelly) uses his dance moves “to pay the bills”. He can be seen in music videos such as Chi Ching Ching’s

Watch Di Wire, Ovamarz’sHot Rice, and Elephant Man’sNo Linger.

He has a small role in the upcoming movie

King of The Dancehall, which stars Nick Cannon and rapper Busta Rhymes.

“I am the breadwinner in my family, so I have to be in the streets hustling my money. My mother an’ sister is depending on me an’ someday I am going to build a mansion for my family,” he said.