Legendary Ghanaian dancer and musician Slim Buster has singled out Dancegod Lloyd as one of the young dancers he believes is doing things differently in an industry where social media has changed how dancing is judged.
According to Slim Buster, dancers in his generation had to spend several minutes on stage to prove their versatility, unlike today’s social media era where a short clip can quickly make someone a sensation.
He believes the rise of short-form content has changed the game, with dancers now sometimes relying on 30- to 50-second performances to showcase their abilities.
Slim Buster, however, noted that the real test comes when dancers are taken beyond social media and asked to represent Ghana on bigger international platforms.
He admitted that this was why he had previously criticised some young dancers, despite recognising their talent.
One dancer who caught his attention was Dancegod Lloyd.
Slim Buster revealed that his comments had initially not gone down well with the dancer, but he believes the criticism eventually pushed him to broaden his approach.
Asked if he believed his criticism had worked, Slim Buster simply responded in the positive.
“When I took time to criticize some of them, they were upset. I remember saying Dancegod Lloyd is good but he was not thinking outside the box. But you see, now when I look at him, I can see he’s done something different. So my criticism worked”
Slim Buster believes dancers need to develop other skills because a career built solely around dancing can have a short lifespan.
“When they talk about dance, the lifespan is very short. So you can do that for five years and then you go and come no more. You have to add something to dancing. You can’t dance forever,” he said.
For Slim Buster, that transition is something he understands personally. His own career has allowed him to move beyond dancing into music and other areas of entertainment.
And that, he believes, is the lesson young dancers need to take seriously. Talent may get you noticed, but versatility could determine how long you remain relevant.
