Stella Maris promises feast of music and dance in motion

Four new works will be premiered when the Stella Maris Dance Ensemble celebrates its 26th Season of Dance at the Little Theatre on Saturday at 8p.m. and on Sunday at 5p.m.. Joining forces on the production of Apostolic, which views three moments in religious history – BC, AD and Heavenly – are renowned Jamaican choreographer and founding member of the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC), Bert Rose, and Dr Monika Lawrence, founder of the Stella Maris Dance Ensemble.

Renee McDonald, resident teacher of the ensemble, will premiere her work, Dauntless. Her featured work in last year’s Season of Dance was the blockbuster The Vow, which was subsequently performed at CARIFESTA in Trinidad. Patchwork by Tony Wilson, another of Jamaica’s best choreographers and artistic director of The Company, will also be featured. The 26th Season of Dance will be hosted in collaboration with the Jamaica Youth Chorale, under the leadership of Gregory Simms and the Nance Dance Collective of the USA, with artistic director Dr Kemal Nance.

JYC for both shows

The Jamaica Youth Chorale will perform on both shows and accompany the ensemble, alongside drummers Calvin Mitchell and Supersad, in Dr Lawrence’s seminal work, African Nite, with lead dancers Andre Hinds and Karen Seymour-Johnson. The Nance Dance Collective has been performing with the Stella Maris Dance Ensemble for the past four years.

Dr Nance will unveil a new work, Red, with his group’s four dynamic male dancers performing with Stella Maris’ principals, Gavin Hart, Meisha Harris, Roxanne Corniffe, Kai Wiggan and Ashleigh Wilson. (In)between, danced by guest artist Danzil Thompson-Stout from the USA, will also be on show. This piece is a ‘bodily exploration’ of being in between two choices, two realities, two feelings, two intensities. How does being in between resonate and tell a story in the body?

In this season, the Stella Maris Dance Ensemble will also explore on stage, a definition of what it means to be Caribbean, by showcasing stories of the region’s people while manipulating the vocabulary and incorporating performers from the USA. According to Wendi Hoo Fatt, associate director of the ensemble:

“This season promises to be a feast of music and dance in motion, as we continue our quest to empower our young people through the medium of the performing arts.”