NDTC Review: Rex would have been proud! 08/09/2010
 On August 1, Jamaica celebrated Emancipation Day. On August 6 we celebrated Independence Day. The National Dance Theatre Company performances are part of that celebratory season. Dancer/writer Nicole Bain reviews the Emancipation Day performance. (Photos contributed by NDTC.)  Dancer Chris Walker The National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) continues its season of dance with a suite of offerings from various choreographers including Patrick Earle, Arsenio Andrade-Calderon, Christina Gonzalez and, importantly, former Artistic Director, the late Professor the Honourable Rex Nettleford. The programme performed on August 1 was aptly chosen by Barry Moncrieffe - NDTC icon and Nettleford's successor - to reflect the Emancipation and Independence celebrations. It featured various aspects of the Jamaican historical experience focusing primarily on religion. On Emancipation Day the show opened with Form in Fusion, created by company member Patrick Earle and danced by the company. The new work which explored the traditional folk form Kumina was a wonderful blend of simple movement and intricate floor patterns and shapes which were best seen from the balcony. The female dancers demonstrated a regal beauty as they inched forward, hips swaying almost imperceptibly. Three of them in particular demonstrated great control and concentration as they successfully executed a series of movements including a full split while balancing oil lamps on their heads. At times the company members displayed a trance-like intensity as they moved to the traditional music of the NDTC drummers and singers. For the most part their movement was subtle, dignified and controlled. And then suddenly, with only the slightest musical warning, they would twirl around ecstatically, only to catch themselves and continue on in solemn procession. The costumes were a beautiful addition to this well-crafted piece whose only flaw was that it needed greater synchronicity. A solo excerpt from Professor Nettleford's Islands followed. This was danced by Kevin Moore, clad in full black with a red cloth wrapped around his body which would later become a prop. Mr. Moore possesses the assets of strength and natural flexibility, and danced with a great deal of commitment to the piece; however his execution felt heavy and disjointed in places. As such the solo fell short of its potential. The motivation for the piece was also hard to glean because of its lack of inclusion in the written programme.  L-R: Alaine Grant, Keita-Marie Chamberlain, Natalie Chung, Deborah Powell-Valentino, and Kerry-Ann Henry  L-R: David Blake, Marlon Simms, Marc Hall and Chris Walker This minor disappointment was quickly made up for by the gifted Arsenio Andrade-Calderon's Congo Laye. The dance was introduced in the programme notes as a “tribute to my ancestors...my motherland Africa” and depicted what appeared to be the ritual of battle. From start to finish the audience was engaged by the precision and power of the choreography and the dancers' intensity of purpose. At times the warriors were majestic and proud, at times they seemed raw, almost animalistic and heady with victory. The costumes showed off the well-toned male and female bodies and the piece was further enhanced by superb lighting design. One of the evening's accomplishments was the successful remounting of one of Nettleford's oldest works Misa Criolla. The 43-year-old piece was a remarkable testament to the preservation of Nettleford's legacy and it was danced beautifully by a cast led by principal dancer Marlon Simms Mark Phinn and Kevin Moore. Misa Criolla depicted the commemoration of Christ's death in Anglo-Catholic tradition, and the motifs of the praying hands and the cross appeared throughout the piece. The dancers managed to convey a general sense of reverence throughout, although there was room for greater texture in mood, particularly since the programme note made reference to several different emotions. Visually however, this was the cleanest piece of the evening with beautiful use of entrances and exits, repetition of movement and canon. It was apparent that Nettleford was inspired by famed choreographer Martha Graham – who was similarly fascinated by matters of religion - as elements of her vocabulary such as the “pleadings” could be seen in the work.  NDTC Singers in Performance In contrast to the quiet reverence of Misa, the penultimate offering My Skin, My Kin was raw and emotionally charged. The powerful work, crafted by company member Christina Gonzalez, depicted the black man's unending fight to preserve his identity. It was an athletic, militant piece, ably danced by the main trio of Tamara Noel, Marlon Simms and Allatunje Connell as well as Keita-Marie Chamberlain, Tamara Thomas, Chelcia Creary, Tovah-Marie Bembridge, Orlando Barnett and Patrick Earle. Gonzalez's statement was well made through the freshness of her vocabulary and her choice of accompaniment, in this case the spoken word of Mutabaruka. She remains one to watch. The programme ran smoothly and was well supported by the NDTC singers and musicians who were in good form with their humour-filled suite of Plantation songs. Audience member Sister Mariamne Samad, a well-known Garveyite and cultural activist remarked “I haven't felt like laughing for a long time, but this brought me joy!” The joyous Gerrebhenta brought the Emancipation evening to a close and as another patron remarked of the performances, “Rex would have been proud!” Comments08/11/2010 04:49
@ Corve - I'm sure you will enjoy it immensely. The season started July 23 and closes August 22. Nicole 08/13/2010 16:20
Good to get feedback from the diaspora :) Thank you very much. Alaine Grant 08/21/2010 09:44
well written and great read...only Kerry's pic labelled incorrectly - I'm sure that's her under a Lion King mask & certainly not Kevin! fabian thomas 08/25/2010 16:10
hmmmmm...... Karen @ JaCulture.com 08/25/2010 17:38
Thanks, Alaine for your kind words. Sorry about the mix up with the pic. All the best to the Company :) christina gonzalez 11/06/2010 22:59
BIG UPS TO THE CAST OF "MY SKIN MY KIN"!!!! Tamara Noel, Marlon Simms, Allahtunje Connell, Tovah, Tamera, Chelcia, Orlando and Patrick!!!! You all were GREAT!!! Christina Gonzalez 11/06/2010 23:06
AND BIG UPS TO THE DIVA KEITA Marie-Chamberlain!! 03/22/2012 23:04
LLM 03/22/2012 23:04
LLM 03/22/2012 23:06
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