Saying Goodbye to 2013...

So here, I sit at my desk at work, dimly aware of life around me (groggy as I am from lack of sleep) and I pause...I am at my desk...on the last day of the year 2013. its over. another year: an eventful, interesting, depressing, joyous, life changing, painful, beautiful year is at its close...I'm awed...as I go through captured moments, a lot come to mind, and many un - captured...but lets attempt a quick photoreview...

FrenchMan's Cove, January 2013

I had the pleasure of beginning the year with fellowship, as some of my closest friends all piled up into a car and we were off, to one of the most pristine beaches on our little Isle of Jamaica...it was lovely, and the memory of that day warms me.

Tenors of JYC (Not pictured: D. Hamilton, P. Dawes and D. Bailey)

Had the first official photo-shoot and concert Season of the Jamaica Youth Chorale, here I am with my fellow tenors. I Love these guys like family, and I am heartened to know they feel the same 

Diocesan Festival Choir Beach Trip (James Bond Beach)

My sister paid me a visit for the summer. It was glorious having her back with me, and sharing the life I had carved for myself in Jamaica with her. Here we are on a choir beach trip, and about to attend a street session with my/our father (lol), and, as usual, It became like we were kids again lyming and skipping, sighting, water war...I miss her much, and as I may not see her for another 2 years, this vacation was immensely memorable

The real glue that keeps this Trio running 

Post performance, Music in the Hills, the Ambrosian Ensemble

I was a Part of an octet for a concert recital of Operatic Choruses and Quartets, Broadway standards and Sacred works...I sang In German, Latin and Italian...Loved every second of the experience, and I hope I am called upon again to sing with these awesomely talented people

My most emotionally charged role to date, I was a dance soloist to spoken word at the year's "Gungo Walk" and "Tallawah" arts festivals. I played Dwayne Jones, A young Gender non-conforming boy who had got beaten to death by a mob of intolerant Jamaicans. I was scared, I was saddened...and I cried. It will be a role and piece that remains with me forever, and I am glad I could do something in tribute to a life cut too short 

Kinesio taped and ordered a month of no activity

 THIS WAS HARD...while dancing, I got a sprained back and slightly dislocated a vertebra, and jarred them. I got my first immensely debilitating injury since mountain- biking as a kid (I biked off a cliff and landed right into a concussion, lol), and it was very eye opening... it hurt...deeply, as it made me aware of just.how.dangerous.dance. is. It was and is a task acclimatising to this weakness, and I hope as I learn to live with it (the effects are somewhat permanent) and to regain strength, I will keep the lesson of safety and moderation forefront in mind. Another effect it had was the revelation that not all is as it seems, and an olive branch can pose as hemlock and vice versa..

Here pushing through pain during a work break

Company Dance Theatre In McDaniel's Reggae piece SESSION. 

I Performed in my fourth season of dance with the Company Dance Theatre, a great task and undertaking with a career - ending injury (that demanded rest that I wasn't willing to take). while it was not a particularly happy time of it, I have grown as a performer, and tested in great discomfort as I sought not to let the experience of the audience be marred by my handicap.




While there are many more eventful photos and experiences, I chose to try and highlight those I was a bit more "comfortable" sharing...for now...
It was great having you 2013, I definitely gained strength; even at the expense of the physical, courage and no shortage of opportunities to glean wisdom. I have, lived, laughed, loved and made bonds that I hope will last a lifetime, and memories that will last until the end of all time.

To The Girl-turned-Woman who moved me...

You are beautiful, whole and perfect; the universe's gift to all who are blessed to come into contact with you.

I have wanted to offer my two cents, but feel it would be an insignificant contribution to the outpouring, and so I stand with them, willing my sentiment to permeate the air and that you will know that I support and am awed by you. these four years I have had the distinct honour of being acquainted with you have truly been some of the most noteworthy of my life. As I stood by you that night, I began to muse on just how far our interactions have evolved.. I remember that you were one of the only persons that didn't seem to retreat into yourself in the presence of a certain ballet- mistress (in fact, you were the first to make me laugh at her, but as I MAY have been eavesdropping that one time, I wont tell you that). I immediately thought two things; you will come to be better when her time passes, or, that  you will perpetuate her stoic icy reign in the macabre system that was apparently "how things were done" in the Company. I am glad to say, your batch's seniority and leadership is looked on as a time of the best in relation between company members across lines of senior/junior and male/female.

Throughout all this, my first two years, I observed, pleased, but silent. A silence that did not last much longer, as it is well known that when one of your closest friends is Mr R.V. McKenzie, sociable isn't a choice, its a non-negotiable consequence.

I Never knew I'd be a dancer or that I'd've met you...seeing this recently I'm reminded
the world is a very small place :)

I always wondered why you seemed not to want to teach when a piece was remounted, but in the end never questioned it (which was probably wise, my mouth seems to have no filter and knowing my dunce ways I might've sounded like I was judging). but I am grateful you gave me an intimate view of life as an architecture student, and gained me a new-found appreciation for not only you and your balance, but to another friend's struggle and concern. Jo-Ann, I was amazed at the workload, and awed you took very little break, all day at studio to change scenery for another studio only to go back and burn midnight oil. I watched...you were phenomenal (This was around the time of that UTech Vid en pointe...you were EVERYTHING!).

I was beginning to feel like my vocal cords wouldn't rupture if I dared speak to you unbidden, and I struck up (on my part) an uneasy acquaintanceship (I was still quite terrified of you). and slowly, I was made party to the group of persons who stood in the awesome space of friend and fan of the incomparable 'Jo'.

Then the unthinkable happened...Sir was setting a new work on us...and you chose me as your partner...

*Pause, while I again recover from being starstruck*

You probably didn't know that by simply choosing to be my partner you ensured I would work the hardest I had worked in dance up to this point. I. Was. Floored...and to this day, it produced my favourite artistic shot of me in life... and I will always have you to thank for it

you went past the platitudes other senior girls would usually say to us supporting men, and showed that you ACTUALLY trusted us, that we were worth something to the continuity and growth, the image of the Company Dance Theatre...

This year, with the lineup of such a varied undertaking, we were all excited and a little bit afraid of the mammoth task. I was worried that you were not as present as before, but was confident you would return, star up class and then go on to take the stage. you then returned from  hiatus, and all progressed(smoothly is not the word one uses for this period, so I'll simply say progressed). 

Then you repeated the untinkable: in remounting the ballet RoseHall, you chose me...not once, but TWICE to be your partner...my glad bag jus' buss! I felt I had come full circle, that I did something right if I were worthy to be chosen again.

If you'll notice I have glossed over the negative bits, the espionage, the whisperings, mutterings and flare up that have caused this moment. I do so because they were to have been immaterial...and I somehow fear if it were anyone else, they would have been...Life, however, chooses who to be fair to.

I could join in the persons who decry and scream their resentment, raising my voice in protest...but I have never been a good orator, in fact, I don't think I communicate well at all...but I am standing there. I am standing there waiting to see you again recover from that fall, from the landing, from that moment of unexplained incident...I am waiting to be in awe again...the stage is not the same without you, and there is a heaviness that will remain with me until it has welcomed you back...

until then...I am Waiting. in the wings, in the audience, on my feet...I am waiting

of Dances and growth...Panorama:The Next Generation

So...the Weekend of the third of November, The Company Dance theatre opened curtain on our 24th season of dance "PANORAMA:The Next Generation"...
LOVED IT!!!!

My Dance partner, Jo-Ann Morris and I in Wilson's "Whisper"(2012)

An about face in the 2nd Movement (men's dance) of
Wilson's "PANORAMA:The Next Generation" (2012)

I enjoyed alot of the choreo entrusted to me, and I especially was moved to deep emotion when I had discovered that I had been promoted to a Junior member of the company...I felt vindicated after the long-though fun- nights, injuries and fatigue while going through my subsequent days ... Mr Anthony Wilson, Artistic Director, I am immensely grateful for the Opportunity, Mr Ricardo McKenzie, for being the awesomest friend for making me tag along to join with you, I owe you the biggest hug in LIFE, Mr Sigmund Morgan, for the constant encouragement, Grazie! to Mr Jerren Chambers, for the talks and encouragement, Zurie Johnson, for lightening (and then infuriatingly darkening) the bad days...we've come a long way from being "those feisty UWI boys" and I could not ask for more awesome guys to be lumped with :-) I must mention the camaraderie of Mssrs Corve DaCosta and David Reid, a league above but still great persons to share a stage with and the up and coming Mr R. Barrett

The Company in the finale of the title piece of the show Panorama!

...Eventually

This word, glorious in it's employ within my daily parlance to denote the time that I will generally take to perform any task or duty which will be of a manner that helps self...eventually...so often I put myself on the back burner with regard to the undertaking or completion of any task: I'll be fine, I can rest after, I will, eventually...Which would ideally be fine if not for the fact that with five choirs and two dance groups, three jobs and a desire to maintain my four hour a night sleep regime, "eventually" never truly comes...


"My candle burns at both ends
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -
It gives a lovely light"

 

-E. Millay, attr. to Roald Dahl

Me In Movement...Here it goes

Here it is... that I should make a post that showed myself in movement was a suggestion by a friend (who I summarily gave the death stare before being made to do it anyway -__-) but here it is, THE WALK THRU : modern movement and Afro-Caribbean steps. The Music is from the album The Garifuna Women's Project.  Well, here goes nothing/everything then....critique away

to the...New Year?

As I sat in wait of the approaching new year (despite already acknowledging its arrival as per my religious observance at sunset), I began to reflect on all that was: on the experiences I have had and the knowledge I have gained both of myself as well as of the world around me; on friends and the strength and frailties of human ties as well as how indestructible some bonds are and can be; the importance of being earnest (If you don't know why I chuckled as I wrote that then two words- Oscar.Wilde.); and most importantly, that I am human...VERY much human, I am not able to please everyone, and it seems that whenever I do try I please no one and end up depressing myself...so here come this year's "workable" solutions:
~I love music, everything about it (well....lets disregard that whole "aleatory" thing for a bit, lol), and I will explore further my abilities within it, as well as train myself in areas where I am sorely lacking, It is too much apart of my day and life to be relegated to a "hobby"...
~I love dancing, I cant help it, movement is truly an integral part of my existence, and I am going to fully work at enjoying this avenue of expression
~I can write...well, so I'm told (why anyone considers my rambling good writing is like beyond me, but meh), and I can say despite my opinion, I enjoy the activity and will work more on it over the coming year.

hmm...I may just eventually post more personal ones, who knows?

so...about that magical moment...

you know that moment where...you're dancing or viewing a dance piece and it becomes so intense, everything is a flowing beautiful mass of shifting lines and changing formations...and then there's this one move, this one transition where time stands still and for that millisecond that seems to last infinitesimally(sounds sooo made up doesn't it?) longer?well, when that happens, you see the most beautiful sight to me in the art of the dance.

That. that moment is what I like to call the instance of suspension...that second before BOOM! the lightning quick, very technical and often beautifully frenetic part of the routine comes in and you're left with your jaw simply at the floor, or (if you're the dancer) energy spills forth and you connect with your true self and the audience in a fragile yet powerful link of the art as transcendence from earthly to divine, orgasmic, ecstatic...or... *shrugs off excited face* you know, to that place where the beauty of the movements to follow and the passion of the dancer/ rapt attention of the audience causes you this strange overflow of excitement and wonder to burst forth from your very core, manifesting itself either in thunderous applause, or a stellar and uniquely "perfect" performance depending on which side of the Proscenium line you are taking part from.

it is that very moment, that second, the transition, that I totally LIVE for. It is "easy" for a dancer to move through a well rehearsed piece, present technical mastery in a change of back or perfect leg/foot/hand/neck articulation...but to go through this moment, to move through it and go beyond the mere transition from line to line to the communication of beautiful messages (and yes, even serious or evil themes have their place in the realm of beauty) THIS I believe IS TRUE ART...

just my take...am I alone in my fascination?

Pictures that speak volumes

THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD LOOK...wow