Carlington Wilmot/freelance photographer
Dancers from the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts show how 'The Body Speaks' with 'Physical Labrish' performed at the School of Dance Studio Theatre on December 4, 2004. The bodies will speak again on the weekend of December 3-4. Physical Labrish utilises the unconventional spaces occupied by the audience.
Tanya Batson Savage, Freelance Writer
Though it may not involve the artful lapping of frock tails or pulling up to a neighbour's fence, the faculty of the School of Dance, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, is set to labrish again with 'Physical Labrish: Body, Sound, Power' and it seems that a revolution is afoot.
Before they begin the body talk, a few of the tutors sat down with The Sunday Gleaner to discuss some of the issues related to dance. 'Physical Labrish' is the school's faculty show, which was first staged last year, and this year it is set to take place December 3-4, at the School of Dance.
Chris Walker, who was the first show's artistic director, described it as doubly successful. "In terms of the concert content I think we presented a high level of work," he said. He also noted that the concert had also been successful in achieving its second goal of allowing the public to interact with the space through 'The Artwalk'.
Arsenio Andrade is this year's artistic director and he explains that he does not want to keep the same pattern as last year's show. Additionally, he and the rest of the faculty decided that this year's show should not merely keep to last year's standard, but should raise the bar. 'Physical Labrish... Word, Sound Power' will feature choreography by Andrade, Lisa Wilson, Shelley-Ann Maxwell, Walker, Honore Ban Ommeren, Oneil Pryce, and Marlon Simms with performances by students and staff.
Andrade explained that the result of the choreography of all the tutors is a "new way of speaking". So, the name is not merely intent upon echoing the Rastafari's Word, Sound, Power, it is intent on showing the potent power of dance. Andrade calls this labrish being unveiled as a "new revolutionary movement". "Through dance you can fight the system," he said. "What you can't say with your voice you can say with your body."
multi-faceted revolution
But the revolution is multi-faceted and it will not end with just one dance.
So, 'Physical Labrish' is intended to be more than just another dance show. The first thing it hopes to change is the public's understanding of what happens at the School of Dance. Director of Studies at the School of Dance, Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson, points out that there is still a great need for the wider public to understand what takes place in the school. She also argued that generating that deeper understanding is coupled with generating a deeper understanding of dance itself, which is needed to encourage people to explore the dance arena more.
a lot of work
"Our young people need to understand that dance is a lot more than what you do on the stage," she said. She noted that creating this particular revolution will be neither quick nor easy. "It's gonna take a lot of work by many of us for a long time," she said.
Andrade noted that a significant part of that process is continuing to offer quality products which will encourage larger audiences. He used responses to last year's show as the marker to this. "The whole thing come up like a boom," he said.
Lisa Dunkley, one of the school's tutors, agreed but noted that more needed to be done. "I think we have to take dance out of the studios and the theatres and into the streets," she said. There they can attract the average man and attract him back to their space.
The next level of the revolution comes with changing the understanding of dance's power. Walker argues that there is currently a great moment for dance in Jamaica as the public is interested in dance seen through the increasing plethora of dance moves that have fallen like rain into the dancehall. He noted that the dance community can channel this to create greater interest.
Walker also pointed out that dance in Jamaica has developed to a significant level and so what is left to be developed is concert dancing. He argues that what needs to be done in that respect is the establishing of different dance vocabularies as different dance troupes develop their own language.
examine cultural policies
According to Wilson, there is also a need to examine our cultural policies so that the effectiveness of their implementation is evaluated. She noted that dance can be used to teach many other subjects, rather than being sidelined, and maybe as dancers they should lobby for its increased importance in schools.
To this, the fourth tutor present, Oneil Pryce, gave poignant assent. "A true Iyah," he said. According to Pryce, he sees the need for revolution in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission. He noted that they do not make sufficient use of the contact they have with so many of the island's children, and their not having enough money is not enough of an excuse.
According to Wilson, the ingredients for all these changes are simple enough. "We need people with vision, and people with passion," she said, then added, "It's an eternal challenge that needs divine help from God."
