Bogle (dancer)
Encyclopedia
Bogle born Gerald Levy, and also known as Bogle Dancer, Mr. Bogle, Father Bogle, and Mr. Wacky, was a Jamaica
n dancehall
star. His stage name was a reference to Jamaican National Hero
Paul Bogle
.
Bogle was called the "Dancehall Master" and was best known for his dancing. He had the ability to seemingly create dances without effort and his dances would become extremely popular. Creator of the Willie Bounce (named after Bogle's friend and Black Roses Crew member Willie Haggart), Wacky Dip, Urkle Dance, Sesame Street, Bogle Dance, Pelper, LOY , Jerry Springer, Zip It Up, Hotti Hotti Bogle, World Dance, Pop Yuh Collar, Row di Boat, Out and Bad, Sweeper, Stuckie, and many other popular dances. He was also in Belly
.
In the 1990s
, Levy created the Bogle Dance, the scene's first crossover dance move. He was also a major influence on breakout artists such as Elephant Man and Beenie Man
, who gave shout-outs to Levy in songs like "Row Like a Boat": "Seh Mr. Bogle have di brand new style/Come get di style, come get di style."
credits Bogle for making him want to dance. In 2005, the trio Voice Mail (band)
had the hit single "Wacky Dip" on the Junkanoo Riddim. Elephant Man who previously recorded songs for Bogle's dances had the hit single "Willie Bounce" which is by far one of Bogle's most popular dances. Buju Banton
also recorded a song called "Bogle Dance", which was inspired by Bogle. In R&B singer Rihanna
's music video Rude Boy
, she is seen doing "The Bogle". Many people such as Paul Bondy (aka InsideInfo) have adopted the "Bogle" technique and have taken it into new directions. At the recent UK National Bogle Dance-off Championship, the crowd went wild with Paul Bondy's adaptation of the "Willie Bounce" named, "The Wangle".
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
star. His stage name was a reference to Jamaican National Hero
Order of National Hero (Jamaica)
The Order of National Hero is an honour awarded by the government of Jamaica. It is a part of the Jamaican honours system that has been in place since 1969.-Description:...
Paul Bogle
Paul Bogle
Paul Bogle was a Jamaican Baptist deacon and is a National Hero of Jamaica. He was a leader of the 1865 Morant Bay Protests, which agitated for justice and fair treatment for all in Jamaica. Leading the Morant Bay rebellion, he was captured and hanged on October 24,1865 in the Morant Bay Court...
.
Bogle was called the "Dancehall Master" and was best known for his dancing. He had the ability to seemingly create dances without effort and his dances would become extremely popular. Creator of the Willie Bounce (named after Bogle's friend and Black Roses Crew member Willie Haggart), Wacky Dip, Urkle Dance, Sesame Street, Bogle Dance, Pelper, LOY , Jerry Springer, Zip It Up, Hotti Hotti Bogle, World Dance, Pop Yuh Collar, Row di Boat, Out and Bad, Sweeper, Stuckie, and many other popular dances. He was also in Belly
Belly (film)
Belly is a 1998 film, the film directorial debut of music video director Hype Williams. Filmed in New York City as an urban drama, the film stars rappers DMX and Nas, alongside with Taral Hicks, Method Man dancehall artist Louie Rankin, R&B singer T-Boz...
.
In the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, Levy created the Bogle Dance, the scene's first crossover dance move. He was also a major influence on breakout artists such as Elephant Man and Beenie Man
Beenie Man
Anthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
, who gave shout-outs to Levy in songs like "Row Like a Boat": "Seh Mr. Bogle have di brand new style/Come get di style, come get di style."
Death
On January 20, 2005, Levy and four others were in his car at a shopping-district gas station, when two men on a bicycle rode by, shooting into the vehicle. The passengers were rushed to Kingston Public Hospital, where the forty-year-old Levy was pronounced dead. The home of John Hype, Levy's creative rival over the previous year, was burned to the ground just hours later. In the wake of Bogle's murder, Beenie Man offered a $1 million reward for the capture of the killers. Suspect John Hype.Legacy
Bogle lives on throughout the dancehall community as Jamaica's greatest dancer of all time . Many dancehall artists and dancers respect "Father Bogle" and give him shout-outs in songs. Popular DJ Bounty KillerBounty Killer
Bounty Killer is a Grammy nominated Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. He is the founder of a dancehall collective known as The Alliance.-Early life and career:...
credits Bogle for making him want to dance. In 2005, the trio Voice Mail (band)
Voice Mail (band)
Voice Mail is a dancehall reggae fusion duo, hailing from Kingston, Jamaica.-History:Recognized for their intro trademarks, "You've got mail - VoiceMail" and "Heyeee"; Voice Mail were founded in 2003, and had a chart hit in Jamaica with "Weh Di Time"...
had the hit single "Wacky Dip" on the Junkanoo Riddim. Elephant Man who previously recorded songs for Bogle's dances had the hit single "Willie Bounce" which is by far one of Bogle's most popular dances. Buju Banton
Buju Banton
Buju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
also recorded a song called "Bogle Dance", which was inspired by Bogle. In R&B singer Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's music video Rude Boy
Rude Boy (song)
"Rude Boy" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the third single from the album on February 19, 2010, through Def Jam. It was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Ester Dean, Makeba Riddick, Rob Swire...
, she is seen doing "The Bogle". Many people such as Paul Bondy (aka InsideInfo) have adopted the "Bogle" technique and have taken it into new directions. At the recent UK National Bogle Dance-off Championship, the crowd went wild with Paul Bondy's adaptation of the "Willie Bounce" named, "The Wangle".
External links
- Funeral announcement for Bogle, archived at JahWorks.org
- Farewell to Bogle, archived at JahWorks.org
- Remembering Gerald 'Bogle' Levy at the Jamaica Observer
- Tributes to Mr Bogle at the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
- Announcement of Bogle's death at the Jamaica Gleaner