NDDCI’s 30th Anniversary Celebrations Continue with “Threshold”- Press Release

NDDCI’s 30th Anniversary Celebrations Continue With “Threshold”

 

September 29, 2015 – Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago… As a continuation to its 30th anniversary celebrations, the Noble Douglas Dance Company Inc. (NDDCI) will present its 2015 dance season, Threshold. The weekend production opens on Saturday October 17 at Queen’s Hall featuring new and classic choreographic works by Noble Douglas, Allan Balfour, Penelope Kalloo, Arlene Frank, Delton Frank and Megan Navarro.

 

Trinidad and Tobago’s foremost modern contemporary dance company earned another accolade when it launched its 30th anniversary celebrations with its 2014 season, TEETH. This momentous milestone celebrates the contributions of the seminal dance company to the cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. Founded in 1985 with a vision to use the body for the expression of a Caribbean aesthetic in modern contemporary dance, the NDDCI has toured locally, regionally and internationally on stages in the United States, Southern Africa and the Caribbean.

 

In 2005, Douglas’ commitment to the development of the arts and culture received national recognition when she was bestowed with Trinidad and Tobago’s second highest award, the prestigious Hummingbird Medal – Gold. She was also the recipient of the Cacique Award for best choreography in the Trinidad Theatre Workshop’s 2005 production of Derek Walcott’s musical, STEEL and a Vanguard Cacique Award for her work with Lilliput Children’s Theatre. She has continued to revolutionise dance expression in the region as she fuses the principles of contemporary modern dance with the instinctive and familiar movements of her Caribbean landscape.

 

As a dancer, choreographer and teacher, Douglas has shone as an icon of the arts in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean region. The co-founder of the country’s foremost children’s theatre company, Lilliput Children’s Theatre, and founder of the NDDCI, Douglas has stood strong with an unyielding commitment to her vision to use the performing arts as a medium to stimulate young people’s creative energy and to build character, self-confidence and self-esteem.

 

This celebration of dance marks the threshold of a new decade of dance for the NDDCI. Tickets cost $160.00 and are available at Crosby’s Music Centre, from members of the NDDCI and from October 13, 2015, at the Queen’s Hall box office. For more information, join the Threshold Facebook (FB) event page at http://x2t.com/THRESHOLD or connect with NDDCI on FB at www.facebook.com/nddci or on Twitter @NDLFA or send email to liza@estuaryPR.com.

 

WHAT:          Threshold

WHO:            Noble Douglas Dance Company Inc.

WHEN:         Saturday October 17, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday October 18, 2015 at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE:      Queen’s Hall, St. Ann’s, Port of Spain

TICKETS:     Regular $160.00 (including programme)

Crosby’s Music Centre, St. James – (868) 622-SOCA(7622)

Members of the NDDCI

From Tuesday October 13, 2015 at Queen’s Hall box office – (868) 624-1284

 

Photo captions and credits:

All photos courtesy Maria Nunes.

 

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NDDCI 1

The layered choreography of Noble Douglas and post-modernist, Reggie Wilson, marries folk, modern and post-modern genres in this 1998 collaborative work, Rum & Salvation. Here the piece is remounted during the NDDCI’s 2013 collaborative dance season, Vecinos…we are Neighbours.

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NDDCI 2

Terry Springer shines in Allan Balfour’s iconic 1987 choreography, Red Clay, which was re-staged during the NDDCI’s 2013 collaborative season with leading Venezuelan dance company, Fundación Coreoarte.

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NDDCI 3

A moment of intense energy from Allan Balfour’s three-part piece, Ties, which he began choreographing in 2011 and completed in 2012.

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NDDCI 4

The company’s alumni and seasoned dancers perform this three-part retrospective piece, Older More, which was created by Dave Williams for NDDCI’s 2014 30th anniversary season, TEETH.

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NDDCI 5

Kwasi Romero is intently poised in Arlene Frank’s choreography, Near To One’s Heart, during NDDCI’s 2014 30th anniversary season, TEETH.

nddc6NDDCI 6

NDDCI’s company members and apprentices perform Noble Douglas’ classic piece, Passage, during Lilliput Children’s Theatre’s 2015 40th anniversary production, BIG.

 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Liza Miller, Managing Director

estuary PR Limited

Phone: (868) 367-5295

Email: liza@estuaryPR.com

www.estuaryPR.com

 

 

 

COCO Dance Festival

The COCO Dance Festival began in 2009 with dance professionals and founders Nancy Herrera, Sonja Dumas, Nicole Wesley and Dave Williams. This festival gives choreographers and dance professionals the opportunity to pioneer approaches to choreography and explore contemporary and post modern forms of dance. Moreover, there is much space to experiment with dance aesthetics. This festival is a dynamic force for propelling the Trinidad and Tobago Dance Industry. It fosters the development of collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches in the production of art, performance and lecture with The University of the West Indies and the University of Trinidad and Tobago’s dance programmes. Basically, it offers mentorship for emerging choreographers by giving them a professional platform for performance and experimentation with direction for development as their steward.

20141002_201807(NeoIndigenA – Santee Smith)

So far the work of founders as well as creative art and dance professionals from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Canada and the U.S.A have been showcased. This year the festival has a guest cast of the New York Battery Dance Company (supported by the Embassy of the United States of America), The University of South Florida’s Dance Program, The University Dance Company of Texas Tech University (supported by Texas Tech University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts). The COCO screening committee also chose Akuzuru, Brittany Williams, Deliece Knights, Jacob Cino, Jelae Stroude-Mitchell, Jillene Forde, Juan- Pablo Alba- Dennis, Kinesha Charleau, Sade Chance and Santee Smith to perform. The COCO community outreach programme  has selected finalists from the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy competition to make their contribution. Other dance entities participating include Ibis Dance Company directed by Sherma Burke, New Edition by Jodie Daniel, Eh Beh Oui Don Don directed by Kizzy Murray. founders and directors like  Sonja Dumas and Dave Williams will also feature their work.

20141002_221723(Summer Fall – Sean Scantlebury  – New York Battery Dance Company)

The calendar of activities include a free film series( four french films in collaboration with L’Alliance Francaise), the annual COCO awards and the COCO Dance Festival programme of performances. There is also the community outreach initiative with a series of master dance classes that are being facilitated by local and foreign dance professionals at TTD$40.00 per class. The types of dance forms include contemporary modern, contemporary Amerindian, Zena Rommet Floor Barre and Modern African Caribbean techniques. The COCO Dance Festival itinerary starts on Friday October 3, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. (inclusive of the COCO Awards). On Saturday October 4, 2014 there will be outdoor/indoor spatial presentation at 6:30 p.m. However, showtime is at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday October 5, 2014 there is an outdoor/indoor spatial presentation at 5:30 p.m with showtime at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are only TTD$100.00. They are available at Alliance Francaise, The Bread Basket in St. Ann’s and Woodbrook, participating choreographers and Queen’s Hall.

20141002_203627-1(Oshe – Sherma Burke – Ibis Dance Company)

After being invited to attend the dress rehearsal for the COCO Dance Festival last evening at the Queen’s Hall we realize the commitment that this country (public and private stakeholders) has made to its creative arts industry. This is not to be taken lightly. An industry can only grow and develop further from partnership, collaboration, stakeholder relationship, excellent quality and quantity of resources, zero tolerance for laissez faire attitudes, an ambition to improve, a strong recognition for standards and their maintenance of them. They identify that dance is an art form and like true connoisseurs of this art form Sonja Dumas and her team appreciate that there is no room for sub standards. Rehearsal after rehearsal they must get it right because the international stage is watching. But this is not the only reason. Aside from the fact that this is the social media era where any click on a camera phone literally puts Trinidad and Tobago on the map Sonja and everyone participating must ensure that quality of production is up to par  because this affects end result of production.

20141002_202409(Intomergence – Jeane Travers)

The design thinking behind costumes, choreography, musical arrangements, programme structure all tie together to evoke emotions and convey the visionary’s (committee’s ) concept. Last evening, locals and foreigners performed on the same stage. There was a high rank of execution and delivery to the audience. However, there was enough clarity to distinguish among the Caribbean, American and Canadian dance professionals. Simply, each contingent owned their dance aesthetic identity which is most important in any art form. I could not choose a favourite for the night because they were all exceptional. They communicated a plethora of  undertones; love, happiness, sadness, pain, struggle, freedom,celebration and so much more which were easily identifiable. The couples, solos, trios, groups were all on point. Their exchange and collaboration made for the perfect night allowing the viewers to vicariously live through their performance. (Yes it was that authentic even though we were just observing!) Yet, it was the design management of the production that allowed for the COCO Dance Festival to be identified as such a superior creative arts brand in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.

20141002_222927(Striking – Jacob Cino)

Overall, the advent of training sessions, the exposure to foreign work and these outstanding dance personas, the support of local dance institutes, production companies, the passion for dance and the  national pride exist to promote the art form as an international brand with its distinct aesthetic. They  signify advance development for the creative arts sector in Trinidad and Tobago. The “powers that be” should carefully consider the magnanimous implications of future development and promotion of the creative arts sector. The COCO Dance Festival is already a box office hit. One can only suggest that  creative arts as a solution to the migraine of diversification in Trinidad and Tobago (an ironically already diverse destination) would result in the catapulting of a more sustainable and stronger economy.

So what are you still waiting for?

Go get your tickets!

Don’t miss out on this experience!

https://www.facebook.com/COCODanceFest

Thank you Liza Miller ( Estuary PR)

for your invite to cover

The COCO Dance Festival

xoxo

Let’s Go Trinidad and Tobago