Wolmer's Dance Troupe get it right a 23rd time

Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

Wolmer's 23rd Season of Dance was everything but ordinary. On Sunday, the final night of the troupe's 2013 Season of Dance, the audience was treated to effective use of the stage, vibrantly coloured costumes, imaginative tableaux, creative formations, and beautiful extensions of bodies.

The troupe of dancers, ranging from tiny tots to intermediates to juniors to seniors, displayed beauty, grace, and coordination to the works of choreographers Barbara McDaniel, Jair Jones, Orette Beckford, Gabrielle Waite, Onaje Bell, Natalie Nash, and Kemar Brown.

The campaign to Dance the Art, commenced with artistic director McDaniel's appetiser, Dance the Art, Come Celebrate.

Followed by a spotlight, a dancer positioned on the apron stage right, began the story of expression, while her fellow dancers stood motionless in the shadows. As she made her exit, the lights illuminated the full company. Each dancer ensured his or her movements and timing were correctly executed. Expressions on the face needed some work, though.

That little glitch was ironed out in Take to the Streets, Guiding, and In the Theatre, which were all choreographed by McDaniel.

The calypso-influenced Take to the Streets included a dazzling display of carnival costumes. The dance, which also closed the first segment of the show, saw the dancers depicting a carnival road march.

From the tiny tots wearing gold-coloured costumes to the intermediates with their large blue collars and further on to the seniors in purple and white, all captured the atmosphere of festivity.

Guiding was performed by young Taniella Francis and Joshua Crichton. The two made a lovely picture as they wore matching pink outfits.

The two gave an enjoyable interpretation of courtship. But it was the jazz act, In the Theatre, that dancers and choreographer gave the theme true meaning.

The dance is divided into five movements according to the various groups, with vocalist Justine Rookwood as the fourth. In her cameo performance, Rookwood delivered.

BEST SAVED FOR LAST

But they say the best is usually left for last, and this was definitely the case for the group that danced the fifth movement.

The juniors danced to songs beyond their years with poise, stood on chairs, leapt over each other, and twirled walking sticks in true chorus-line fashion. To say they stole the show would be an understatement.

The closing number, Redemption, another of McDaniel's choreographies, showcased creative formations and provided a lovely blend of red, green, and gold costumes with matching backdrop.

Redemption was also divided into five movements and all five groups were fantastic! The tiny tots, mistakes and all, did nothing to hurt the performance.

Jair Jones used his piece, The Wrong Love, to bring out eye-catching body extensions.

Dancing to the piece himself, Jones was joined by Brittany Bryan, beginning with an interlocking tableau.

As the two characters battled with their emotions, the dance evolved into perpetual motions, shapes, exploration of levels, and controlled extensions.

Kemar Brown, another young choreographer, is worth mentioning. In Just Move, he had the full yellow outfits and black-capped seniors moving in one accord to the sounds of hip hop.

Overall, Wolmer's Dance Troupe 23rd Season, Dance the Art, was a good show. The choreographers remained true to the theme. They moved their dancers to new heights of creativity, fully utilising the stage at the Little Theatre.