Arsenio Andrade: "I want to become a well-known dancer, choreographer and dance teacher."
-Contributed
Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
WHEN ARSENIO Andrade's mother decided that judo was too crude for her son and introduced him to the finer arts, he was a little less than happy to drop his 'kickers' for dance classes.
However, as Andrade matured in the art he would soon discover the wealth of good that it would impart to his life.
Andrade, who was born in Cuba, said his mother jumped at the first available option to judo.
"I started dance school when I was 11 years old and this was because my mother didn't like how I looked when I came home after judo classes. She heard that a School of Dance was opening and she sent me," Andrade recalled.
TAKING IT SERIOUSLY
According to Andrade,
however, his incentive for going to the auditions was because of some friends whom he knew would also be attending.
"I went because my friends were going and not because I wanted to, but out of all my friends I was the only one that passed through the auditions," he said.
For many persons, dancing is perceived as a hobby or a means of relaxation, but this is far from so for Andrade, as he sees the art as a profession.
"It wasn't until about age 13 or 14 that I started to take it (dancing) seriously," Andrade said.
For Andrade and many other Cuban nationals, dancing was not something to be taken lightly, as it is viewed as a very serious and prestigious profession.
"Dancing in Cuba is a profession you make a lot of money. The Government there put a lot of effort into the development of culture in general. In Cuba, over 90 per cent of the people have something to do with the arts and through this we meet lots of important persons, among them President [Fidel] Castro, [Mikhail] Gorbachev and a member of the Gandhi family," he said.
While at school back in Cuba, Andrade said it was an honour to be a part of the dance movement but one had to be very disciplined.
While in school, the dance group would be called on from time to time to form part of the entertainment package for government and other officials visiting Cuba.
Andrade, in relating one of his many wonderful experiences, recalled the first time he performed before the Cuban President.
"When we performed in Cuba for Castro and I saw him, I said 'wow'. To actually see the man in person, when so many others have only read about him or seen him in pictures, was an awesome experience," he said.
LEVEL OF DISCIPLINE
However, if the dancers wanted to remain in the limelight, they had to adhere to the rules, as exercising discipline was key.
"In my country, when you go to school you have to follow certain rules, because you had to be disciplined if you wanted to be involved in any art form," Andrade said.
According to Andrade, this level of discipline has helped him to develop into a well-rounded person, both in his professional and personal lives.
"Since I've been involved in the arts (dancing), it has helped me to understand the human body and people. It has also helped me to become a better person in terms of my relationship with my partner and wife," he said.
Now that Andrade has sought to spread his wings and taken on new challenges and horizons, he is in Jamaica helping to mould and shape the arts.
According to Andrade, for most persons, Jamaica is all about reggae, but he believes that creative dancing in Jamaica has the potential to go a very far way.
"It's a pity that we don't take the art form more seriously here. Jamaica has a lot of talent here, but they are known for reggae. Why not dance, too?" he asked.
MORE THAN REGGAE
Andrade has performed extensively overseas with the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC), which he has been with since 1995.
The reaction that the group initially receives after a performance, he says, is surprise and astonishment, as persons are not accustomed to seeing Jamaicans doing other popular art forms.
"I remember going to Belize two years ago with the NDTC and when we performed the people were saying 'you people are
from Jamaica? We didn't know you could do anything more than reggae'," Andrade recalled.
The group left persons in awe as they did a number of different dances, including the dinki mini, some classical dance and, of course, reggae/dancehall.
Andrade was a principal dancer in Cuba, where he danced with the Edwardo Rivero Dance Company, before he came to Jamaica to join the NDTC. He is currently a principal dancer and choreographer.
In addition, Andrade says he works with other cultural groups like Ashe and Xamayca, where he is a choreographer and assistant director for the latter.
FUTURE DREAMS
Although Andrade may have reached the point where many aspiring dancers dream of getting to, he says he has by no means achieved his full potential.
"I want to become a well-known dancer, choreographer and dance teacher. I have not yet achieved this," he said.
Andrade says that despite the long road he is yet to tread, the experience gained in Cuba and Jamaica has been rewarding and says he is only too happy to be a part of the development of the art in Jamaica.
In seeking to encourage those persons who may be considering the art as a full-time mission, he said there are a few essential ingredients needed if they intend to take the art seriously.
"If you want to become good you need to be disciplined, have faith, perseverance and be consistent, if you want to become somebody. The dedication and determination have to be there," he said.
