Most people probably know the words and may have done the actions to the “Hokey Pokey”: You put your right hand in//You put your right hand out//You put your right hand in//And you shake it all about//You do the hokey pokey//and you turn yourself around//That what it’s all about.
However, unless you were at the National Cultural Centre last Friday, you would not have seen what could only be described as a unique “Hokey Pokey” dance done by a group of three-year-old “dancers” – the tiniest gems in the jewelled crown of the National School of Dance. Their level of confidence ranged from ‘bold and out there doing our thing’, to ‘shy, audience struck and I would rather look at the ceiling’. But they were all adorable and received possibly the loudest applause of the night along with a quite few ‘whoo-hoos’ for their effort.
Pretty in darling little dresses, this group of little misses, showed what it should really be all about – our children. They were the second performers of the evening in the National School of Dance’s annual show – Studio to Stage, which was presented under the theme ‘Children Our Jewels’ and produced by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
Coming just before them was a group just slightly older, who performed to a popular gospel piece and was well received also.
The show started well beyond its scheduled 7 pm time with its opening sequence ‘Giving Thanks’ by the Starters A3 group whose dance was choreographed by Rhonda Adams.
‘Fun Time’ was next with the Starters A 1 doing the “Hokey Pokey” choreographed by Shirley Inniss. This segment also saw the Starters A 2, Starters B, Elementary 1, Beginners A 2 and Beginners A1 – seven dances in all. They were choreographed by instructors Abigail Allen, Inniss, Royston Glasgow, Gracelin James and La Vonne George in that respective order.
There were six dances in the next segment titled ‘Exploration’ which saw James’s Beginners B class in an African-inspired choreography; Vivienne Daniel’s Beginners C, Kenrick Cheeks’ Intermediate A, Beverley Cyrus’s Preliminary A and B and Director Linda Griffith’s Intermediate A. These groups displayed technique, expression and style and there were several standout (individual) performers among them whose steps were near flawless; whose movements were near effortless. Based on where they were placed in their groups it is clear that the instructors have seen their potential and are working with them.
Daniel’s Intermediate A and Advanced classes took the entire next segment dramatizing ‘Youth in a World with AIDS’; telling a story through dances, some of which were perhaps more compelling than the spoken word.
After the intermission Cyrus’s Preliminary A returned in ‘Cross Over’, a fun segment which this particular choreographer/instructor is noted for.
‘Fantasia’ saw four dances by Jerusha Dos Santos’s Elementary 2, Natasha Troyer’s Beginners A 3, Daniel’s Beginners C and Griffith’s Juniors.
‘In the Move’ was the final segment and the performers were Griffith’s Intermediate A and Preliminary B classes and Daniel’s Intermediate B.
The wide range of dances performed included ballet, classical, modern, Indian and African; as well as the music chosen by the instructors/choreographers, including popular songs such as “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)” by Beyonce, “Jai Ho” by the Pussycat Dolls, “A Whole New World” – the theme from Disney’s Aladdin aptly demonstrated the National School of Dance’s diversity.
In the finale to what was a well-attended show, the school’s 460-odd students and their instructors filled the stage rocking to the Black Eyed Peas’ hit “I Gotta Feeling”.
Except for a moment during the finale when a male dancer either cramped or pulled a muscle and had to be assisted into the wings, Studio to Stage was a hit. Not all the dances were perfect, some of the students lacked coordination, others just clear forgot their steps and one even fell though she quickly got up and went right back into it. But what was obvious was the discipline, even in the very young dancers and the striving to give of their best for which kudos must be given to Griffith and her team.
