The spirit of Rex Nettleford, the late founder of the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC), thrives within the very fibre of the company he held so dear.

This was clear from the reaction of the audience to two of his works remounted as part of the NDTC’s 48th season of dance, as well as the passion with which the dancers interpreted the cultural icon’s vision.

The audience seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of Nettleford’s Spirits at a Gathering, first mounted in 1995, and one of his signature pieces, Gerrehbenta from 1983.

A former principal dancer with the NDTC once commented that not all dancers are choreographers, as the essence of a great choreographer is the ability to tell a story that is timeless. This is so true of Nettleford’s work as, for the most part, the majority of the dancers on stage were either not yet born, or were mere tots when the pieces were first done, yet they presented them with a dynamism that suggested it was conceptualised by one of their contemporaries.

In addition, particularly in the case of Spirits at a Gathering, although one can readily remember renowned NDTC principals of the past — Melanie Graham, Arlene Richards, Alaine Grant, Carole Orane and the Cubans, Arsenio Andrade-Calderon and Abeldo ‘Toki’ Gonzalez — in this piece, the present company does not lack the ability to bring it to life.

On Friday night, the auditorium of Kingston’s Little Theatre also came alive during the staging of Congo Layé. This eulogy to the African ancestors filled the room with music, movement and just the right amount of theatrics, including a spectacular opening sequence of dancers on a backlit stage and a moment which had the audience gasping.

Mention has to be made of dancer/choreographer/ ballet mistress Kerry-Ann Henry whose solo Caged, showcased her immense talents. Lit by a single spotter, Henry’s ability to dance with every inch of her body, while at the same time exerting a degree of control, made the piece quite moving as she conveyed the concept of feeling trapped.

Folk Tales was a particularly refreshing presentation. This dance was delightfully set to masterfully rendered Jamaican folk songs — Under the Coconut Tree, Evening Time, Sammy Dead and River Bank Coverly — as never heard before. Adding to this was a presentation of a dance timeline which started with ballet (a comedic version), the Latin dances and culminated with a rousing reggae/dancehall number.

The night’s opening number, Redemption Rite, which is the brainchild of dance captain Marlon Simms, took the audience through the phases of torment to redemption in a colourful presentation.

As remarked Howard Hamilton of the National AIDS Committee, under whose auspices Friday night’s benefit performance was staged, “Rex is beaming down and is well pleased with the dance” (dance pronounced with that signature Nettleford lilt).

(Photos: Bryan Cummings)