Dancers perform during the Movements Dance Company of Jamaica 25th anniversary season of dance, held at The little Theatre, Tom Redcam Avenue, St. Andrew on Thursday, November 2, last year. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Movements Dance Company of Jamaica is currently in the final stages of preparation to host its 26th anniversary concert season.

The Little Theatre will be the venue over four consecutive nights, beginning with a Gala Performance on Thursday, November 8 and climaxing on Sunday, November 11 and featuring the captivating work of six hugely talented local and overseas-based choreographers.

Premiering new works

Premiering new works for the 2007 production are principal dancer and tutor of Movements, Arturo Castillo who, presents 'Point Zero', a work which explores the fine line of mental health.

Cuban choreographer, Narcisco Medina's classic work, 'Metamorphosis', will be premiered as part of the repertoire of Movements this year. Metamorphosis, which celebrates the evolution of mankind, has been remounted by principal dancer of the National Dance Theatre Company, Arsenio Andrade, assisted by Arturo Castillo and Lazaro Caballero of Movements.

Lovers of the dance are in for a treat as the season will also include the remounting of classics from previous Seasons, among them are 'Tears of War', an introspective piece inspired by the casualties of war choreographed by international choreographer, Christopher Huggins, an award-winning artiste, who is also a former member of the celebrated Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre; 'Pathways', an interlude between two lovers choreographed by Founding Member of Movement and principal dancer, Patrick Johnson; Jackie Guy's 'Only Fi Yuh', a tribute to late cultural icon and folklorist, Dr. Louise Bennett-Coverley; and artistic director, Monica Campbell-McFarlane's 'Ushindi', a work that celebrates the triumph of the human spirit through music and movement completes the repertoire for 2007.

With only days to go before the curtain goes up, Principal Dancer and a Director of MOVEMENTS, Michelle Tappin-Lee said the 14-member Dance Company had been engaged in intensive rehearsals in order to get the repertoire ready.

Channel our focus on dancing

"When it reaches this time of year, the dancers have to channel our focus on interpreting each dance and making it a unique experience as theatre audiences have become more and more sophisticated and demanding," Mrs. Tappin-Lee explained.

Observing that this year's season would feature an entire programme with different choreographers for each work, she said it was always a distinct challenge for the dancers to effectively convey the mood of the various pieces, shifting from deep pathos to unbounded celebration.

However, she expressed confidence that come opening night audiences could look forward to a "moving, soul-stirring experience from the great diversity in the pieces being showcased."

The major sponsor of Movements in Concert 2007 is Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS), which over the years has remained a leading supporter of the dance and indeed the arts, helping to raise the level of productions and fostering the growth and development of several organisations and entities that have enriched the cultural landscape of Jamaica.

At 27 years-old dance company has remained one of the foremost and enduring artistic entities to benefit from the support of JNBS. Tickets for MOVEMENTS in Concert 2007 are available at the Little Theatre.