By Lester Hinds THE NATIONAL Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) of Jamaica will perform in south Florida fromOctober 1-3, as part of the community’s celebration of Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence. Also celebrating that milestone this year, the NDTC will have its first performance at the Miami-Dade Cultural Center on October 1. From there, the dance group will move to the Miramar Cultural Center for a performance on October 2. The NDTC will give a free performance at the Miramar Cultural Center on October 3 for school children. The dance ensemble is being hosted by the Louise Bennett-Coverley Heritage Council, in conjunction with the Jamaican Consulate in Miami. President of the Louise BennettCoverley Heritage Council Colin Smith said that it is fitting that the NDTC should be performing as part of the community’s celebration of Jamaica’s Diamond Jubilee Independence Anniversary given that it is also celebrating 60 years this year. “The purpose is to provide our community will different aspects of Jamaica’s right cultural heritage and who are better ambassadors of this culture than the NDTC,” he said. Smith pointed out that the Jamaican Folk Singers is also part of this cultural heritage and has performed in South Florida as part of the heritage council’s outreach to bring Jamaican culture to the community. “The Pantomime is also planned for the community,” he said The cultural showcase, Smith said, is staged to expose the community to different aspects of the Jamaican culture. He said that it is especially important that children are given the widest possible experience of the Jamaican culture, hence the free concert for school children. The appearance would also promote cultural understanding, appreciation of diversity and affirm cultural identity through a comprehensive showcasing of artistic excellence that is inherent in the people of the Caribbean. “A performance of the company in 2022 will renew and strengthen the cultural and artistic ties between both countries and bring hope and fulfilment to the people of Florida as they celebrate this milestone occasion,”said Smith. Consul General Oliver Mair noted that the effort to bring the NDTC to South Florida has been a year’s long. “The NDTC is a group that represents the best of Jamaica and it will be a privilege for the people of South Florida to experience their outstanding performance,” he said. The NDTC last performed in Florida in 2010. The NDTC has performed to critical acclaim in the international arena in regions such as the Caribbean, North, Central and South America and Europe. Their wide-ranging repertoire reflects the creative imagination and cultural experiences of Jamaica and the Caribbean through the lens of choreographers hailing from Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Barbados and the United States. 14 NDTC to highlight Jamaican culture in South Florida The NDTC performing at the launch of Jamaica 60 on the lawns of Jamaica House on April 13. RUDOLPH BROWN Mair THE MONTHLY GLEANER | JULY 31 - OCTOBER 21, 2022 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | FEATURE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUzNTI=