Mini-season, major production - L'Acadco bases production on Nina Simone's 'Four Women'

Mel Cooke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Dr L'Antoinette Stines describes next weekend's SOULJAZZ by L'Acadco as a mini-season, but a major production.

With single shows on Saturday and Sunday at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of the West Indies, Mona, in terms of length it is about as short as a dance season can get. However, there is no trimming the production, based on Nina Simone's Four Women.

Stines says the setting is the common space in a tenement yard, where each woman also has her private quarters. And although their travails differ, there is a common resolution.

"Ultimately, it is about the fact that you can get healing ... . There is a God energy in you. You can heal; you don't have to be that way forever," Stines said.

Change of setting

She also points out that the setting moves from Trench Town to a balmyard to New York City, and then Brazil. Also, in SOULJAZZ, the dancers sing.

There is movement of another kind, Stines saying that there are some young choreographers involved in SOULJAZZ. In addition to her and Fabian Thomas, there are also Kareen McLean, Renée McDonald, and Amanyea Stines. Stines says her work with Thomas was key to shaping SOULJAZZ.

"I was asked by Fabian Thomas to come and dance for Vagina Monologues. There are five women in the monologues, but I was the fifth woman who watches all the woman," she said. Then, in conversation with Amanyea, who L'Antoinette describes as "my right hand", SOULJAZZ was conceptualised. "The concept came out of her head," Stines said.

So, working on Vagina Monologues and doing the choreography, there was soon a feeling that the concept could be expanded, as it has.

Stines notes the expansion of L'Acadco, as it started out with 12 dancers. Now there are 21 female and eight male dancers, and 13 drummers.

The company's core technique is spreading as well, as Stines said, "I just came back from London where I was teaching L'Antech for four weeks. I now have people coming from England to study the technique, to become teachers," she said.

And there will be nothing 'mini' about L'Acadco's 2012 season. "We are planning for next year, a big year, because of Jamaica's 50th anniversary of Independence, and there are ideas I held off until next year," Stines said.