National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) will once again usher in Easter with its beloved annual sunrise offering, Morning of Movement and Music, set for Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 6:00 am at Little Theatre.

Now in its 45th year, the production continues to stand as one of Jamaica’s most cherished cultural and spiritual traditions, blending dance, music, and spoken word in a deeply reflective and uplifting experience.

This year’s programme features a mix of premieres and signature works. Among the highlights is Threads of Becoming, choreographed by Dance Captain Paul Newman, showcasing emerging company members Jahmelia Daly, Amaris White, Nyla Elliott, Danitra Jones-Rhule, Jordanne Newekk, and Suri Neill.

Artistic Director Marlon D Simms contributes several new works, including Joined by Faith, a duet performed by Shadé Thaxter and Amaya Gomes, as well as a choreographic rendering of the hymn Praise to the Lord the Almighty, and a quartet set to the Negro spiritual Were You There, featuring Tamara Noel, Marisa Benain, Paul Newman, and Phillip Earle.

The programme also honours the late gospel luminary Richard Smallwood through a praise medley performed by NDTC Singers and musicians, featuring soloists Deborah-Ann Rosewelt-Miller and Chanell Hopkins.

Vocalist Carolyn Reid-Cameron lends her powerful voice to the spiritual Fix Me, while Mattu Perry’s Clipped and Fallen returns to the stage.

Special guest Fae Ellington will present a spoken word offering, continuing a long-standing tradition of integrating reflective narration into the Easter morning experience.

The programme will also feature an excerpt from Bloom on Earth as it is in Heaven, choreographed by Avery Walker with Associate Choreographer Radnell Marin Pedraza, a work first presented in the NDTC’s 2025 Season of Dance and commissioned by Myers, Fletcher & Gordon.

Additional musical and dance offerings include Oh Happy Day (arranged by Dr Kathy Brown); Steal Away by the late Bert Rose, danced by Kerry-Ann Henry, Mark Phinn, Mattu Perry, Naala Nesbeth, and Addison Morgan; along with an excerpt of
Unscathed by Troy Powell.

The morning culminates in a closing sequence featuring Rex Nettleford’s Apocalypse, followed by Psalm 150 set to the music of Noel Dexter and preceded by Marjorie Whylie’s
The Lord’s Prayer.

The production brings together a full complement of dancers alongside an ensemble of singers and musicians.

Speaking on the significance of the production, Artistic Director Marlon D Simms shared: “Morning of Movement and Music is more than a performance. It is an act of collective renewal. It invites us, at daybreak, to reflect, to give thanks, and to find hope through the language of the body, voice, and spirit.”

Musical Director Dr Kathy Brown added: “The music this year moves between the traditional and the contemporary; honouring the sacred while embracing the richness of our musical inheritance. It is designed to carry the audience on a deeply emotional and spiritual journey.”

Widely regarded as the NDTC’s “act of worship”, Morning of Movement and Music continues to resonate across generations as a defining Easter experince on Jamaica’s cultural calendar.

Patrons are encouraged to be seated by 5:45 am as the performance begins promptly at sunrise.

Steal Away choreographed by Bert Rose, 1997 . (Photo: Bryan Robinson Photography)

NDTC Singers in action.