"Soca music is highly infectious -- once you feel the rhythms and beat you'll want to get up and dance.'' These were the words of MC Jase, the Master of Ceremonies at Dread and Baha's Soca Animal 2000 on Saturday night.

Dressed to kill but wearing sneakers and waving towels, people from all walks of life came out to the St. David's cricket field to jump up and down.

MC Jase said: "It's a fantastic mix of people.'' And Diana Caisey noted that a wider range of Bermudians are now coming to enjoy soca music.

"All sorts of people are here. At one time I would say it was probably all black, but now its a mix.'' Her friend Ayanna Darrell agreed: "It's a pretty good mix of people.'' Many non-Bermudians also turned out for Saturday night's event.

Canadian Carole Bird who has been working on the Island since April said: "I heard soca at work and I had to come -- I had never heard it before.'' Fellow Canadian D.N. Brodie first heard Soca music while on vacation in Trinidad and has loved it ever since.

When asked why he liked soca, he said: "You can't put that in the paper!'' Trinidadian nationals and Bermudians with Trinidadian ties flocked to the show clad in the red and black colours of their flag.

Everyone in the crowd moved to the beat of the music.

Geanna Simons said: "You can't keep still -- it's a workout.'' And her friend Ayanna added: "It's something to jump up and down to, to have fun.'' Teenage revellers came to fete and agreed there is just something about soca that makes people want to move.

Lacreisha Simons, 14, said: "Bermudians love soca and I'm one of them.'' But others said they do not come for the music but for other aspects of the soca experience.

Jason Smith said he comes to soca shows "for the girls.'' "I like the music so-so, but I come here for the girls,'' he said.

"It's a summertime thing to do. I like to see what they're wearing.'' Diana and her sister Geena described the perfect soca outfit.

"It has to be something colourful,'' Diana said.

Geena continued:"Something clingy -- cause you gotta wine it up.'' "With sneakers,'' added their friend, Thelma Marshall.

Sneakers are an important part of soca attire.