L’Acadco, Stella Maris, Praise Academy of Dance and Ashe are synonymous with quality dancing in Jamaica. For years, these companies have wowed audiences with their natural talent and amazing choreography.

If last Saturday night was anything to judge by, however, a new name will soon be added to that list of great dance companies.

Laud Dance Ministry held their second annual production entitled I Surrender at the Stephanie Hall auditorium on Saturday night and definitely staked a claim as a company to look out for in the future.

With a complement of over 60 members ranging from age two and upwards, the group put together an energetic and sharp show with over 20 different pieces. The pieces, which were split into two different sections, were performed by three different age groups — children, TEENs and adults.

Masters of Ceremony Omar Letford and Jason Ramsay did their part in involving the crowd in the proceedings, even though with the work put in by the dancers it was not always necessary.

Twelve choreographers, led by the artistic director and leader of Laud, Nickeisha Jones, put the pieces together intricately and showed originality and style without losing their ultimate goal of ministering the gospel through dance. They showed their propensity to cross dancing genres as dancehall, hip hop, jazz, interpretive and even sign language elements could be seen throughout.

Of special note on the night were the junior dancers, as it was refreshing to see young dancers under the age of 10 with near mastery of their craft. The various lifts, turns and body movements were executed efficiently by the children to further cement that the company has a bright future.

Some of the more memorable performances of the night were Dwight Moore’s solo dance, Wonderfully Made, choreographed by Kenisha Ramsay and Dextrose Francis; Mourning to Rejoicing by Nickiesha Jones, Dance Drama, by Jones and the finale I Surrender All by Arlene Richards. Richards’ finale was particularly inspiring as it featured a host of angels revering the King. It was the perfect end to a night, which had the crowd’s attention from start to finish.

Jones, who served as the chief choreographer for the night, said the group, which started in 2006, has grown dramatically in the last few years. “It originally began as an AGA (Associated Gospel Assemblies) thing, but it has grown to involve New Testament, Baptist and a host of other denominations,” she remarked as she was quizzed on the origin and composition of the group.

She also told TEENage that the group has copped several national awards since its inception including Most Outstanding Group in the JCDC Dance Competition in 2009.

Surely, Laud Dance Ministries has put their name out there as they dance their message of love and hope to anybody willing to see.