Blacka Di Danca facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blacka Di Danca
Blacka Di Danca on the Brooklyn bridge
Background information
Born	December 16, 1989 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres	dancehall
Occupation(s)	choreographer movement director dancer singer actor author philanthropist
Years active	2002–present
Associated acts	Janet Jackson, Daddy Yankee, Nicky Jam, J Balvin, Farruko, Diplo, Major Lazer, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Collie Buddz, Kiesza, Shaggy, Kreesha Turner

Blacka Di Danca is a super talented artist who dances, creates dances, and even acts! He's traveled to over 40 countries and 100 cities around the world, teaching dance workshops. He also makes music and has his own clothing brand called Danca.

Blacka was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 16, 1989. Growing up in a Caribbean family, he learned to dance very early. In Caribbean culture, families often teach kids to dance as they learn to walk! Blacka was always surrounded by Reggae, Calypso, Soca, and Dancehall music at family parties. This connection to his heritage was a huge inspiration for him.

As a kid in New York, Blacka loved art. He spent a lot of time sketching, painting, and drawing. In elementary school, he took African dance classes. He remembers these as some of the most fun classes! Later, he studied art history, which inspired his creative journey even more. As he got older, he also practiced karate and martial arts, which helped him love movement even more.

His passion for art led him to audition for the Brooklyn High School of the Arts. This school helped him learn even more about art and creativity. It really helped him express himself.

In 2002, Blacka started exploring Brooklyn's exciting dancehall scene. He wanted to learn everything about this dance style. He would travel through all kinds of weather to attend dances every night of the week. Learning dancehall became his biggest passion. He wanted to be one of the best dancers!

Blacka started learning about music and performing when he joined the group New Kingston on tour. One night, after a show, he stayed in the club and experienced his first dancehall party. This changed his life! He realized dancing was what he was meant to do. He saw two dancers doing the same moves in matching outfits, which reminded him of synchronized swimming.

After this amazing experience, Blacka reached out to his friend JC Smoove, who was also a dancer. He started training with Smoove's help. He learned Passa Passa dances by watching videos from Jamaica.

Dancing became a nightly routine for Blacka. He went to many clubs, like Temptations on Church Avenue. Early dance crews like Crazy Hype Family, Active Dancers, and French Konnection inspired him. He watched them to learn new moves. As Blacka became more known, New Kingston also grew as a band. They started asking Blacka to be their official dancer at events. This was the start of "Blacka Di Danca" as a performer.

As Blacka kept dancing, he became more famous in Brooklyn. He also started to overcome his stage fright. Opportunities began to pour in! One of his first big moments was winning a dance competition at the Binghamton University Carnival. He performed with his friend DJ AK and took home first place.

Blacka spent a lot of time studying dance and movement. He became deeply involved in dancehall culture. He even felt like an honorary Jamaican because he spent so much time in Brooklyn's dancehalls. For him, loving dancehall also meant understanding the people, the food, and the sounds. In 2007, he got his first booking to perform in Virginia with JC Smoove and Byrd Hype.

Blacka's Journey on Tour

Blacka's early tours with New Kingston helped him get used to life on the road. In 2010, New Kingston started touring with Collie Buddz, and Blacka Di Danca went along. Blacka's job was to sell merchandise and dance on stage with New Kingston. He hoped to eventually headline with Collie Buddz. One night in Tallahassee, DJ Pee Wee called him on stage to dance with Collie Buddz to his song "Mamacita." Blacka did popular dances like Skip to My Lou and Nuh Linga. He even showed Collie how to dance, and the audience loved it! After a few more shows, Blacka officially became a dancer on tour with Collie Buddz.

In 2011, Blacka went to Russia for the first time to teach a dance class. This trip made him think about having his own solo tour. In 2012, after another trip to Russia, Blacka started reaching out to people who wanted him to perform or teach. In 2013, he organized his first solo dance workshop tour in Europe. This led to over 16 world tours! Around this time, Blacka also started his first brand, Danca. A very proud moment was in January 2015. He danced in front of thousands of fans at a New Year's Eve show at Madison Square Garden with Diplo and Skrillex. He has also toured with Farruko, Major Lazer, Kreesha Turner, and Mr. Vegas.

A Global Dance Movement

In 2010, Blacka decided to focus on dance full-time. In November of that year, he taught his first dancehall class at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Two years later, Blacka was teaching classes regularly. He rented famous studios in Manhattan and taught at the Broadway Dance Center. He was even featured in publications like The New York Times.

In 2016, Blacka became an official athlete for Red Bull. Around this time, he also started working in the international music scene. He was a dancer in Rihanna’s "Work" music video. After that, he choreographed and appeared in many other music videos. These included Janet Jackson and Daddy Yankee’s "Made For Now", Shenseea and Tyga’s "Blessed", and Nicky Jam and J Balvin’s "X (Equis)". He also choreographed tours for Farruko and Luis Fonsi.

In 2013, Blacka started Little Danca, a non-profit organization for children's performing arts. He began donating to a school in Gordon Town, Jamaica. Blacka wants to give kids in communities around the world a chance to dance and perform. This helps them grow, develop good character, and learn responsibility. Little Danca has helped about fifty kids each week across different schools. More recently, Blacka organized drives to help people affected by the Texas Winter Storm in 2021, providing food and meals. He has also worked with PETA to give out healthy meals and received an award from them for his Vegan food outreach.

In 2019, Blacka received special awards from the New York Senator Kevin S. Parker and the New York State Assembly. These awards recognized his leadership and dedication to teaching dance in the community.

In May 2020, Blacka moved to California to grow his businesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he saw a chance to help creatives in Los Angeles. This move also brought him closer to Empire, his digital distribution agency.

A Move to Music

In 2019, Blacka released his first song called "Bubble Up." This song inspired thousands of viral dance videos on TikTok and Instagram. Fans from all over the world sent in their own "Bubble Up" videos, which were included in the official music video. Blacka’s second song, "Another One," also became very popular online. His latest songs, "Di Sauce" and "Buss Down," have also connected with fans globally. Just like his dancing, Blacka’s music is reaching people everywhere.

Moving Forward

Blacka continues to build his Danca empire on both the East and West Coasts. He is focusing more on marketing, creating viral campaigns, and brand design. He is also very interested in Blockchain technology. Blacka is the founder of Danca, which includes Danca Media and Danca Music Group.

He still appears in major films like "Yellow Girl and Me." He's also part of TikTok trends, like the "Buss Down" challenge, which has over 50 million views! In 2020, "Buss Down" was chosen by ESPN Music as one of the main songs for the NBA playoffs and Finals. In 2021, Team Salut, who produced Afro B’s song "Joanna," teamed up with Blacka to release a "Buss Down" remix called "I Like That."

Blacka Di Danca is a true inspiration for new artists and athletes. He continues to encourage everyone to do their best, be their best, and build the life of their dreams.

Awards