THE 15th Season of Danceworks, held recently at the School of Dance Studio Theatre showcased an impressive collection of movement, concepts and soulful expression. This year’s staging was mounted under the theme TranscenDANCE, and was attended by Lorna Golding — wife of the prime minister — and luminaries in the dance industry.

The event is said to have harnessed the choreographic strengths of both faculty and students as the total repertoire of 15 pieces over four nights offered a mix of traditional and modern techniques and incorporated the appropriate use of audio-visual presentations.

This season was also dedicated to the late Sheila Barnett, co-founder and past director of the School of Dance and the late, Howard Daly, past student, teacher and external examiner whose piece Weh Every Baddi A Run Goh?, was featured among the 2011 collection. Another authentic Jamaican piece Cool I An Isaacs, choreographed by international artiste-in-residence Chris Walker, was done in tribute to the sounds created by Gregory Isaacs. Walker’s residency was supported by the University of Wisconsin Dance Department and the alumni research foundation.

Lecturer Kerry-Ann Henry continued the thread of authenticity, with her work In The Street… Down The Lane, which showed the many faces of Jamaican culture.

Other faculty performances bore themes of anguish, conflict, desire, love, envy and grief. The latter theme was evident in the powerful and empathetic piece entitled, Regarded the Pain of Others choreographed by faculty member Oniel Pryce. The movements aided by audio-visual support painted vivid images of despair and desolation, and fingered war and oppression as crippling weapons against humanity.