Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Performers in the 'Copper Soul' production, which was staged at the Edna Manley School of Dance, on Saturday. - ANDREW SMITH/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
A BUDDING talent in choreography was unveiled at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts last weekend with the staging of Copper Soul.
Staged in the dance studio at the School of Dance, the show, Copper Soul, got off to an interminable late start.
Fortunately, the night's performance was good enough to make up to some degree for the frustrating wait at the start of the show.
Copper Soul features the newly-created Professional Moves Dance Company and the Immaculate Dance Club. The majority of the dances were choreographed by Sodanne Browne.
CREATIVE MIND
As such, the night displayed that Browne is a talented performer and in possession of a creative mind that is on the right track to interesting explorations in dance. What was particularly interesting was Browne's willingness to blend male popular dancing with modern contemporary movement.
This was first displayed in Home, a Rasta-influenced piece. The male dancers in the piece were from Shady Squad and their movements marked them as popular dancers, which allowed the movements to take on a gritty street credibility.
However, it would have been a much stronger dance if the dancers were more confident in their movements.
The group was also included in Soulful and Move. Move, danced to the Busta Rhmes remix of Exodus, brought a good ending to the night and the pop dancing elements were better integrated in this piece.
The inclusion of the Shady Squad was particularly interesting because male pop dancing is a largely under-utilised area of dance. The sub-genre distinguishes itself with the acrobatic moves and its tendency to use stunts and humour, but it is often without cohesive choreography.
Yet, it is often rather exciting, as was highlighted in Shady Squad's piece The Pioneers. To cite one young boy in the audience, the dance was "Sweet!"
It was energetic, funny and exciting and showed the young men at their greatest comfort level.
Soul Expressions, a dance that used tap done to a hip-hop rhythm, was also a welcome addition to the night. Though not stunning in either originality or execution, the pieces Diva and Soulful were fun additions of light entertainment.
Given the youth of both Professional Moves Dance Company and the Immaculate Dance Club (the former was created last November and the latter is only six years old), it was not surprising that, in general, the dancing was far from perfect.
However, Browne, Sherida Sharpe and young Tiana Chung were quite delightful to watch.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE
The performance also included vocal and instrumental musical items.
This included a two-part tribute which featured Glen Browne on acoustic guitar accompanying Marjorie Kay, giving a quietly pleasing rendition of Memories.
The second part of the tribute featured Sodanne Browne in a solo dance.
Congo Billy also added to the musical interludes with a drumming segment, which was incorporated into the dance As Yet Untitled choreographed by Michael Holgate.
The combination, was however, poorly executed, when the music shifted from live drumming to recorded music.
It did so in a rather disconcerting manner and it even managed to confuse the dancer who looked momentarily stunned.
As such, the night presented an interesting first leg up for the budding groups.
THEATRICAL ETIQUETTE
It was merely a pity that it started so late and that members of the crew displayed such bad theatrical etiquette, blithely walking from backstage to the audience with nary a care in the world.
