All is set for the finals of the World Reggae Dance Championship, Jamaica’s premier international dancehall and reggae dance competition, which will climax at the National Arena in St Andrew on August 4.

The 11 finalists — comprising dancers from Poland, Australia and France and dancers from Jamaica — will compete for the title and prizes. Jamaica’s Dynamix Team walked away with the title last year, trouncing 15 other squads to return the title to Jamaica after a spate of wins in previous years by teams from Japan.

Stephen Davidson, director of public relations and marketing at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) notes that this year is set to be another great year.

“I am impressed by the fact that this year we have a team with us from ‘Down Under’. The Australian team will make their debut in the World Reggae Dance Championship, and this shows the wide reach of the Jamaican culture. We have a strong focus on training and development. As a result, at this time all our finalists are taking part in a number of workshops to not only build their technique and dance routines — what you see on stage — but also to develop their professionalism and the business side. So we are really going beyond just the entertainment value,” he said.

This year the Japanese contingent, a staple at the World Reggae Dance Championships will be missing. Davidson doesn’t read too much into this.

“Over the years, the number of overseas teams usually numbers between three and five. This year we have three. The Japanese have clearly decided to give us a break, and we see the Australians stepping up. The team from Poland were actually here in Jamaica and participated in the semi-final round, live on stage, and made it to the finals — so that is also of note. Usually, the international teams send in a video which is viewed by our judging panel and scores given… but the Polish dancers decided to come here and be part of the process on the ground,” Davidson said.

Although the Corporate Area and St Catherine continue to be a hotbed for providing talent for this competition, this year the rest of the country has caught on.

“We have a group from Trelawny in the finals and we have an all-girl groups, and mixed groups,” he explained. “We spread our auditions and semi-finals across the island in spots such as Mocho, Clarendon, and Falmouth in Trelawny, and we believe this has attributed to what is a great spread and wide cross section of dancers from all over Jamaica.”

The winner of this year’s World Reggae Dance Championship will win half a million dollars in cash, as well as prizes.