In a society where avenues for male self-expression can be limited, a Jamaican dancer and educator is carving out a safe space for men to create freely, build community and address their mental health through dance.

Royane Green, 28, founded the J’Adam Male Dance Workshop earlier this year.

The initiative recently concluded its inaugural summer session and brought together intermediate and first-time male dancers, blending modern dance training with sessions on mental and physical health.

“It was an empowering space, a project for me that gave me the opportunity to, yes, teach some more, but also to empower some young men and to use the medium of dance for their self-expression, creating a sense of community and brotherhood in this very niche environment, and equipping them with some artistic skills for those who didn’t have, and sharpening the skills of those who did,” Green said.

A principal dancer with Movements Dance Company of Jamaica and an adjunct lecturer at Edna Manley College, he was inspired by his own teacher, Patrick Johnson, who embodied both strength and an open heart in the world of male dance.

“He was always very resolute and strong about how men should be and can be in the dance. But I experienced him having a big heart, a very open heart, one that would allow me to explore and express myself artistically,” the dancer of 11 years said.

“The whole J’Adam concept is basically rooted in my faith experience, where it is the Jamaican Adam, the new Jamaican man coming forth in this unfettered mode of expression in dance…It was a weekly sort of encouragement to take on something challenging, take on something beautiful, lean into your emotions,” he explained.

Dance in Jamaica, particularly for men, is not always viewed as a safe or accepted pursuit. The social stigma associating male dancers with effeminacy persists, and so for many, stepping into that space demands a level of bravery few acknowledge.

“Stepping out to dance in Jamaica is an act of courage…[so] having that community is essential, because you will constantly need feedback, constantly need help to sharpen your skills, need a safe space to pursue new things, new ideas as an artist. And it requires a stick-to-itiveness and discipline that any man, these are virtues that any man will use in his wider life.

“So, beyond the physical benefits and maybe the emotional benefits as well, there is this sort of character building that happens when men are able to commit to this, and even more so in the Jamaican context. The man really has to steel himself against the opposing thoughts or talk, discourses in the space to be and to engage that process of becoming, in a brave way,” Green said.

This transformation was evident throughout the programme. From young men grappling with personal trauma to those simply seeking a creative outlet, participants found not just movement, but meaning.

“We all have some form of trauma dealing with in life from, you know, different family backgrounds, socioeconomic dispositions, or whatever our story is, and to get to a place where we feel valued in our community as men. And we also have a sense of purpose for self, for family and for nation, it’s important that we have help to walk out that journey of discovery. So whether one finds it in a church family, in their work setting, in the wider community, that safe space is important.

“It was liberating for us all to share that space, to open up, to have these important and deep conversations, and then to work it out, to sweat it out, applying it to this physical activity of dance and creativity in that way,” the dancer noted.

One of the most powerful examples of the workshop’s inclusivity was the presence of Chris, a deaf dancer and Edna Manley graduate. Communicating through basic sign language and real-time transcriptions via smartphone, Green ensured that Chris was fully engaged in both the artistic and mental health components of the programme.

“I’m really happy I met Chris. He’s one of those participants who, from the beginning, was very enthusiastic…I found it surprising, astounding to see just how well he could assimilate in the class and how professionally he approached it all. His focus was on point and the way in which he danced was pretty impressive to me as well,” he shared.

Green envisions J’Adam as a powerful tool for social intervention. Drawing on his mother’s background as a social worker, he aims to partner with corporate Jamaica and non-governmental organisations focused on crime prevention to “use this artistic tool to empower men, to help men to find their voices, to work out issues of the mind and issues within community”.

The workshop also serves as a pathway for young men to explore professional dance careers, challenging the perception that creative arts are not viable options.

“My MO [modus operandi] is to have people see the dance in that way as well. Even the dance companies are changing their structure from voluntary to a more semi-professional engagement, which gives people the latitude to do so many things. You have dancers in the hotel circuit, dancers from Jamaica, actors in the Lion King, all over the world, in Las Vegas and so forth…The talent needs to be ready to meet that environment,” Green said.

Following the success of the four-week summer programme, which was supported by the Honey Bun Foundation, Green is already planning future editions of the workshop, likely during the holiday seasons to ensure greater access. He envisions an evolving programme incorporating not just modern and ballet, but also traditional Jamaican folk, jazz and dancehall.

He is extending an invitation to all young men longing to explore their creativity through the art of movement and dance.

“I would invite you to J’Adam to take on the challenge of training, of doing something hard and challenging, but also to dive deeper into your psychological self, your emotional self, to be willing to have open and deep, vulnerable conversations in a protected context, to work out some of your issues and challenges while working out physically with other men. This would be the space for you,” Green said.

You can follow and support the growing movement on Instagram via @jadammovement.

Dance trainer Royane Green demonstrates an exercise to J’Adam inaugural participant Zydon Malcolm, owner of Caya Dance Fitness.

Guest teacher Naala Nesbeth,formerly of the Martha Graham School in New York, leads J’Adam participants in a dynamic stretching exercise during her class.

Inaugural participants of J’Adam workshop pose for a photo with guidance counsellor David Knight following a safe circle mental health session, a feature of the workshop.

Royane Green, founder and director, J’Adam Male Dance Workshop.