Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Tivoli Dance Troupe performing their pieces during the production Tamasha. Held at the Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Avenue on Saturday the production was done in celebration of the troupe's 15th anniversary season of dance. - PHOTOS BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
TAMASHA, THE 15th anniversary dance recital of the Tivoli Dance Troupe began with a welcome from Africa and ended on a note of praise. With years of success under their belt the troupe has much to be thankful for as they remain dynamic and Tamasha indicated continued strains toward experimentation.
The concert took place at the Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Avenue last weekend. Tamasha presented an interesting night of youth dance theatre. The recital featured 17 dances, many of which had earned national trophies in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) performing arts competition, either this year or in previous years.
The dances ranged through reggae, jazz, and modern contemporary. Probably because of their heritage of involvement in the JCDC competition which promotes visual strength in the dance, the troupe has developed a healthy appetite for props in their dances.
This element was in full force as several of the dances worked heavily with props ranging from fans, scarves, stools, and even the costumes themselves. Jambala is one of the dances that combine beautiful costuming and props, with multi-coloured scarves that are as much a part of the dance as the dancers' bodies.
GOOD COSTUMING
One of the most interesting pieces of the evening, Movere, was also prop heavy. Choreographed by Roberta Daley, the dance combined good costuming, using the national colours, and good experimentation with form. Their prop of choice, were stools. Other dances which depended heavily on props were Orb (choreographed by Roberta Daley) and Fanfarad (choreographed by Orville McFarlane),
Their jazz piece, '007', choreographed by the group's founder and artistic director Jennifer Morgan Garwood also indicated the troupe's continued experimentation. Intriguingly, though the movement stuck with the jazz genre, the music, taken from the James Bond theme, veered from jazz and allowed the dance to strike a unique chord.
Another interesting piece of experimentation came through Wonders of the Deep. The dance attempted to play on the theme of underwater life and while the attempted staging was interesting, the execution was weaker than desired. A sheet of plastic with sea life painted on it, created a curtain behind which the dance took place. However, the plastic obscured visibility too much. Additionally, especially in the dance's first movement, the choreography did not sufficiently represent life under the sea.
A significant part of the troupe is their wonderful work with the very young, who range from as young as four years old. In her post show speech, Morgan Garwood noted that the troupe is guided by their motto 'Discipline, Dedication and Determination'. Dances like Dolly Rock, featuring the youngest members of the troop highlighted how heart-warming the result can be when aspiring dancers are taught this from so young.
