FOR the next week students at the School of Dance at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) in St Andrew will be benefiting from the talents and resources of New York-based dancer James Gilmer.

The ballet and modern dance technician, who is currently a member of the celebrated Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is being invited by the School of Dance as part of its artist-in-residence programme which has been in place for some time now.

Dean of the school Marlon Simms explained to the Jamaica Observer that over the years experts have been brought in under this artist-in-residence programme to augment the work of the institution’s faculty and offer students a more rounded experience.

“The school of dance has had a history of creating this kind of teaching and learning experience, especially for students. In recent times our students have benefited from the likes of Americans Jamie Thompson and Kat Willis, as well as Haitian McKenson Blanchard, so bringing James Gilmer in, even though it is only for a week, continues that tradition of enriching our curriculum from diverse sources.”

Simms noted that Gilmer was chosen for not only his technical skills but due to the dancer being a performer fresh from the stage, he should be able to bring some level of insight to the students.

“He is one of the rising stars in the Ailey camp. He has an interesting story in that he started out in ballet and has gone over to modern contemporary — and these are two of the areas in which our students need support. Our students are just now coming back into the studio for face-to-face classes so this is a great time to engage them after all this time doing virtual classes due to the pandemic,” Simms said.

Gilmer, who has never visited Jamaica before, noted that in addition to sharing with the students, he is looking forward to being exposed to the people, food and culture of the island while also learning the popular and folk dance patterns from the students themselves.

“Hopefully it will be a great time. Just passing on what I have learned over the years and learning from the students should be great. Over the years I have been exposed to different dance styles, and being part of the Alvin Ailey company has afforded me the ability to practise a most efficient way of performing. It is high-energy while maintaining a connection. I will be sharing some tips with them to help them look more professional and refined, [which] could possibly allow them to stand out and possibly picked during an audition.”

Gilmer noted that his own dance technique represents a fusion of the traditional and modern, and he will also be sharing that with his students.

“So it will be ballet and modern contemporary, but I also am very interested in seeing how that blends with the rhythm patterns in Jamaica which are grounded in folk, which is what I gather the students are most comfortable with. But it’s all about fusing all of that together to be a presence, putting self into the movement given the skill set that you possess,” Gilmer shared.

He further weighed in on the age-old question as to whether or not great dancers are born or can be made.

“It’s a little bit of both for me. Of course you can be trained, but it is usually accompanied by certain natural gifts that one is born with. Personally, I feel like I was born with certain aspects that help me to do what I do on stage, but I would not be able to do all that without the years of training that I have received to sharpen that gift,” Gilmer opined.

This visit by Gilmer comes at a time when EMCVPA is celebrating it 45th anniversary, and Simms further noted that it fits in with the theme of this year’s of celebrations which is ‘Rising and Responding’.

We are definitely rising and responding to the needs of the students and the wider community, and this is part of an arts collaboration to connect our students to the wider community, to keep the students fuelled for when they ultimately go out into the world they would have already made some meaningful connections. We will also be hosting a masterclass, for teens in high schools, with a dance programme or some of our alum who have gone out there and are working in communities. We just want to share the experience with them also,” said Simms.