Dancers pay the price for entertaining - Performers endure injuries and high medical bills

Dancers have a way of melting movement into music that evokes a catharsis of emotions in onlookers.

But when the performances end, many dancers are left in excruciating pain, racking up thousands in medical bills.

Puppy Tail creator Renee Sixthirty knows all too well about the wide-ranging injuries sustained by dancers.

Emerging on the dancehall circuit in 2012, she shared that early in her career, she received a wound to her buttocks after landing on a beer bottle, and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Last year, she started feeling a sharp pain near her spine, which worsened while on a European tour.

"Me wake up one day and couldn't walk good, me back did a pain me," Renee told The STAR. "Dancing every day on tour it start hurt me more, so me decide when me come home me woulda see the doctor. I went, found out mi have a back injury and the doctor did a whole bunch of things like sticking something in my back and massaging it."

The pain endured, and she visited another doctor prior to her cosmetic procedure in November. She was also recommended for therapy.

"Him did put me down for surgery fi work on it, but since me do me body me nah really hackle up myself so it nah really bother me now. That's why me no really dance again cause me nuh want it start fi pain again," she said.

Nightmares

The treatment, medication, X-rays and visits are nightmares in a profession where health insurance is not offered; Renee revealed spending thousands for treatment.

While some dancers will pursue medical assistance, others like Dyema Attitude train their bodies to grow accustomed to aches.

"Dancing is a serious job, a nuff time mi go a work and by time me come home a morning, me nav nuh use to myself, all of my body in pain. Me cya even look bout likkle food and me a walk and limp like somebody beat me up," the Dutty Whine creator said. "I don't take pills or go to the doctor, yuh body just automatically get used to the dancing and bounce right back. It's like going to gym. If you go for the first time yuh a go pain up cause you nuh used to it."

For the 38-year-old, precautionary measures rely on one's techniques. For instance, she explained that the focus of Dutty Whine is all in the hairstyle.

"Yuh haffi have in a tall hairstyle or else you get nuff neck injuries, cause the routine is all in the hairstyle, not the neck movement," she said. "Dancing is about skill, style, and tactics. If you're a new dancer and yuh nuh used to certain moves, don't try to do it like what you see the veterans do; you haffi get up and practise every day fi nuh feel much pain."

Renee added: "If it's not worth it, don't do it cause if me did know seh it never worth it me wouldn't do all of them excitement deh fi hurt myself. However, if you want to do it cause you love dancing, have a business mind."

Her advice reflects the current atmosphere as some dancers have moved into other ventures. Renee has transitioned into music, and recently released My Body.

Dyema is more on the promotional circuit lately, and other dancers like Sher Luxury Doll have established businesses.

"I have no regrets cause at the end of the day, me mek me name and can start a business. But if me did know certain stuff it would have made a difference. If me coulda go back in time and change certain stuff me woulda change it," Renee said.