Many patrons left the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts on Saturday night (May 2) feeling full, literally and emotionally.
L'Acadco, one of the island's major dance companies, had provided them with both food and drink for the body and an emotionally satisfying presentation from the theatre's stage. That presentation was more than just three hours of fine dance by a dozen or so talented performers. There was also powerful drumming by a corps under the leadership of the company's musical director, Kaalil Aaron Vereen.
Additionally, Artistic Director L'Antoinette Stines used the occasion to thank and honour many who had contributed, in a variety of ways, to the birth and growth of the dance company. Those thanked included Stines' mother, Eda Lee-Bucknor, her aunt, Eunice Lee, and her uncle, Roy Lee, who introduced young Stines to dance.
evening's honorees
L'Acadco honorees included founding member, Celia Jones-Hinds, and early members Cathy-Ann Gibbon, Howard Daly and Jacqueline Logan. The last named, who was one of the evening's dancers, has been with the company for 24 years, and she continues to dance very well.
The company had a surprise for Stines. Called onstage to present her with a bouquet of flowers was Stines' first dance teacher, Alma Mock Yen.
The 'thank you' segment took place half-way through the evening, which began with feasting outside the theatre. Even while half of what turned out to be a full house was eating and drinking, the other half was seated in the theatre watching the dancers warm up onstage. The front-of-audience preparation was unusual but instructive. We got a chance to preview the vocabulary that was used in the creation of the upcoming dances.
The warm-up session segued into 'Prelude', a presentation which featured the Lantech Dancers in a work which suggests there is unity in diversity. Projected on to the backdrop behind the dancers were images of the symbols of several religions - the cross (for Christianity) and Star of David (for Judaism), for example. The accompanying songs were delivered in several languages, including English, French and some African tongues.
After the dance, the lights went up on a small area at stage left revealing well-known actor/director Fabian Thomas, appearing in a dual role of commentator and MC. He returned at intervals to recite some relevant poem, comment on the performance or introduce a work. Dressed in African garb and seated on a low stool, Thomas declaimed impressively.
The first choreographed dance, 'Ele Ide Oshun', by Arsenio Andrade was a solo by schoolgirl, Amanyea Stines-Jones, the artistic director's gifted daughter. Featuring uncomplicated floor patterns in a limited space centre stage, the dance comes alive because of the vibrant music (drummers play the accompaniment at stage right) and the energetic, joy-filled personality of the performer.
'Shades of Grey', choreographed by Stines and Barbara Ramos Caballero, was up next. It has three movements, the first two portraying fear and desperation, and the third, a turning to a spiritual source for solutions. Against the soundtrack of songs, Summertime, and Barbara Streisand's Where it is Written, a frightened, confused man (Adrian Wanliss) is comforted by a group of women.
The next dance, 'Echoes of Utopia', was one of the small gems of the evening. Whereas generally the dances sought to make deep social or spiritual statements - about worshiping the Divine, drug addiction, mental illness and black power, for example - this jazz piece is about three young men enjoying themselves as they show off some well-executed dance moves. Choreographed by Onaje Bell to Herbie Mann's music, it featured Bell, Wanliss and Lawson Pinder.
gut-wrenching dance
Stines' 'High', one of the company's first dances staged in Jamaica, was gut-wrenching in 1984 and remains so now. It shows several drug addicts needing and using (in mime) drugs - heroin, cocaine and marijuana. The drug dealer (Pinder) exerts frightening control over the mentally and physically tortured women, whose bodies, faces and movements convincingly show their suffering.
The topic is a sensitive one, Thomas noted in his comments after the dance, but then, he added, Stines is not a woman to shy away from controversial issues. Her new dance, 'Chat Bout' (co-created with her daughter and first staged in February), has this annotation in the printed programme:
"Knowledge is power; respect for oneself as a black person results in high self-esteem. 'Chat Bout', through music and the spoken word, informs the audience about the great black inventions and love of self."
The original poetry, which, along with music by Stephen Marley and others, accompanies the dance was written and performed by Davian 'Johnny' Grant. He sits on a stool just outside the dance area as a sort of griot (African storyteller) character and speaks with great passion. Occasionally, the dancers too use speech.
diverse components
One of the pleasures of the evening lay in the diversity of its components, and the power of 'Chat Bout' contrasted interestingly with the tranquility of the next dance, 'Satta'. Thomas told the audience that it was the first dance by Stines presented in Jamaica. The 1983 soloist was Patsy Ricketts (who was applauded when she stood in the audience), while the 2009 soloist was another gifted performer, Sasha Christian. She and the other dancers sensitively interpreted the work's theme of "thanks and praise to the Most High", to Third World's well-known song from which the dance takes its name.
Kyisha Patterson's dance, 'Pathways', is a lesson in choreography. From simple steps, the dance builds in tempo and complexity. Walking steps change to high stepping, slide stepping and finally stomping. Midway through, Patterson drops in other body movements - stretches, dips, twists and turns. It all builds to a strong climax with the full group on stage.
Musical director Vereen assisted Stines to choreograph 'Passion Fruits', the penultimate work, one about "the energy and life of the Caribbean people". The setting is one of the Passa Passa types, a 2-7 a.m. street dance and videotaping session that has become so popular in Corporate Area inner-city communities.
Vereen arranged the music for and staged the final item, 'Drumology', a powerful 10-minute drumming session by the company's 10 drummers.
Unusual to the last drop, the evening ended with a prayer by Stines as she, her dancers, drummers and crew held hands onstage. Those who missed the splendid show have a chance to see it when it returns on May 12.
Scenes from Passion Fruit, L'Acadco's celebration of 25 years of dance, held at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, University of the West Indies, Mona. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
