Music – Winnipeg
Black Lantern of T-West Dance hails from a musical family in Westmoreland Jamaica where he grew up surrounded by music and dance. His mother was a singer and dancer performing in Reggae bands. His father is a Reggae artist that still performs in Jamaica, Canada, and the USA. Several of his uncles past and present are musicians, some having toured with notable Jamaican Reggae artists. It runs in his generational blood!
As a youth, he began dancing and choreography for an entertainment company out of Montego Bay, travelling throughout Jamaica. Dancing in music videos and in competitions in the group Target Dancers, teaching dance and Zumba. Under the stage name SingSong he was DJ’ing, writing and recording his own songs and music videos, producing and engineering music tracks and videos for other Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall artists as Westside Media, including videographer and photographer for dancehall parties and weddings as Westside TV Party Channel. He continued all of this up to the day he moved to Winnipeg in the summer of 2021. This is where the transformation began from a Target Dancer in Westmoreland Jamaica to T-West Dance in Canada, and his music alter Black Lantern Music was born.
The name Black Lantern was chosen because it represents more than just light in the dark, it was a symbol of hope and safety for those seeking freedom indicating sanctuary for escaping slaves. Black Lantern is a Reggae, Dancehall, and R&B artist that has released only a handful of his many original songs, and they are out on all platforms: "In Times Like These", "Be Careful", "True Love", and "Upside Down".
As a professional dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor, T-West Dance specializes in Traditional Jamaican Folk, Dancehall, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Beats, Krump, Hip-Hop, and Contemporary styles. He is a member of a Winnipeg based performance art group, Guinee Best. Black Lantern of T-West is energized by sharing his talent and love for music and dance with others. He believes that music and dance can change the hearts and minds of youth today.
Follow his socials on IG, TikTok, Facebook, or linktr.ee/twestbl for more information on upcoming dance classes or shows!