Samantha Lennon as soon as set dancehall phases on fireplace along with her power, ardour, and steamy strikes, however today, the one fireplace she’s bringing is for Christ.
The 31-year-old Kingstonian has traded the raunchy, aggressive world of dancehall for the calm and highly effective presence of the podium.
“I used to be at all times an out-there particular person, an extrovert,” Lennon informed THE WEEKEND STAR. “After I was youthful, my mom used to push me to bounce at kids’s treats, and she or he’d say if mi nuh go in di ring, she would not convey me out once more or gi mi nuff lunch cash. So from dem time deh, mi get used to performing in entrance of crowd.”
And carry out she did. Lennon’s dance journey took her from highschool phases to nationwide tv. After profitable Miss Norman Manley Excessive, she earned a summer time faculty sponsorship at The Edna Manley Faculty of the Visible and Performing Arts. From there, she joined her faculty’s audition for the favored Dancing Dynamites competitors. Although her staff did not take the title, it launched her into the skilled dance scene.
She grew to become a junior member of the famend Expressionz dance group, led by Orville Corridor, the place she honed her abilities and expanded into genres like dancehall, Afro, soca, and fashionable dance. Quickly sufficient, she was in all places dancing in music movies for a few of dancehall’s greatest stars.
“Mi inna Bumaye video wid Busy Sign, certainly one of Spice’s movies, even movies for Savage, Mr Vegas, and Vybz Kartel when him did lock up,” Lennon recalled. “Di power, di angle, di ardour, a dat mek folks gravitate to mi. Mi nuh dance regular.” However at the same time as her stardom rose, actuality hit onerous when she grew to become pregnant along with her first youngster.
“Mi did haffi put every part on pause. Nuff supporters by no means happy, however mi security and mi child security did come first,” she mentioned. After giving beginning, the tasks of motherhood compelled Lennon to step away from the dance world completely. She landed a job at Sutherland World, the place she’s been for practically 11 years.
Nonetheless, the decision to bounce by no means left her. However her true turning level got here with the beginning of her second youngster, born at simply 25 weeks. The combat for her kid’s survival grew to become a non secular awakening.
“Jamaica nuh at all times geared up fi deal with untimely infants so early, however mi was one of many fortunate ones. Mi religion get examined, every part get examined,” Lennon shared. “Mi have a non secular encounter wid God, and from dat day, mi life change utterly. God held mi hand by means of dat course of, and mi by no means look again.”
“I am an individual who loves piercings, and once I had my child, caring for my child, nurturing for him, I realised that I did not really feel comfy anymore with my nostril ring I did not really feel comfy with sure issues,” she added.
As her child grew stronger, so did Lennon’s religion. She began attending Home of Prayer and Reward Ministries Kingston, the place she rapidly discovered her place within the dance ministry.
“Mi pastor seh, ‘Samantha, mi see it, you fi minister by means of dance,’ and mi be a part of di dance ministry immediately. And di feeling when mi dance for God — mi cya even clarify it. Folks get inna spirit when mi dance. A complete completely different environment.”
However her transition wasn’t with out critics. Some acquainted faces questioned her resolution to depart dancehall behind.
“Yeah, after all folks seh mi a go flip again. However mi know who mi is and mi know mi function,” Lennon mentioned confidently. “If folks come to mi wid dat, mi simply inform dem fi pray fi mi and encourage dem fi be a part of mi pon dis journey.” Reflecting on her dancehall days, Lennon expressed satisfaction at representing Jamaica and studying completely different kinds.
“However mi cya ignore di aggressive way of life, di late-night events, di fierce competitors. It neva align wid di life mi really need.” Lennon suggested dancers nonetheless within the trade to hunt God first.
“Di cash, di fame dem cya examine to di peace and blessings mi get now,” she mentioned.
