Dominique Condison – Unpacking womanhood through dance

DOMINIQUE Condison has been dancing for as long as she can remember, and now at 26 years old the young woman is using the art form as a tool for empowering and telling the stories of women and girls.

In an exclusive sit-down with All Woman, Condison spoke about her recently launched immersive dance film series — The Woman Unpacked — which tackles issues of sexual abuse, loss and grief, self-esteem, and healing from broken relationships.

“This project means a great deal to me. I’ve been wanting to do a project like this from the moment I thought of starting a dance company, and God gave me the vision for it in 2022,” Condison said excitedly. “It utilises dance as a medium to connect with and amplify the stories of women who often feel silenced or overlooked in their life experiences.”

Condison said that by emphasising the power of a supportive community of women, the project helps women to nurture and celebrate each other’s individual journeys through womanhood.

Having been introduced to dance as a four-year-old at Stella Maris Preparatory School, Condison’s love and appreciation for the art form has blossomed over the years as she realised that movement is a powerful tool that can be used for storytelling.

“I love that it gives me the ability to express myself in a way that words don’t allow,” she said. “I can speak and write about my emotions, but when it comes to dance, I feel centred, free, relaxed, whole, and at peace with myself. It’s my most treasured way to communicate and connect with God and others.”

She shared that in becoming a professional dancer, she has learnt several skills through the art form that have helped her to navigate her life and career journey.

“Dancing has taught me how to embrace my true self, flaws and all,” she said. “It has also taught me to be patient with my life and to be disciplined in everything I do.”

This discipline, Condison added, is key to running a company. She founded Dominique and Company Dance in 2019 as a medium through which she could achieve her lifelong aspirations of helping women and girls, travelling the world, and positively influencing people.

“I thought for a long time that I wanted to become a lawyer, but growing into adulthood and starting my law degree, I soon realised that I didn’t desire becoming a lawyer, but my true desire lay in being an advocate for women and girls, which I could do through dance,” the St Andrew High School for Girls alumna said.

While at university, Condison also dabbled in social media management, photography and videography, through which she gained valuable work experience and skills that have helped to prepare her to document and market her company and its initiatives.

The Woman Unpacked is Dominique and Co’s first major dance project since its inception, and it was officially launched July 2 on the company’s YouTube channel (@dancewithdco). The aim is that by the end of the five-part series, the door will be open to discussions surrounding the provision of support that women need at different stages of their healing journeys, both individually and collectively.

“When people watch this series, I want them to be able to have honest conversations about their experiences and to understand the experiences of women around them and how they can possibly help them to heal,” Condison said. “Because a woman’s traumatic experience is not only limited to that woman, but it affects familial and work relationships, friendships, and go as far as the development of a country.”

She added: “I want persons to remember the communities that they have around them and to develop a desire to begin advocating for women’s issues.”

Speaking of her own community, the dancer shared that the women in her family — her mother, grandma, aunts, and cousins — have not only supported her, but have also inspired her by being brilliant, independent, and supportive of each other. In fact, watching her little sister grow to love dance as much as she does is one of the things that inspired Condison to start a dance company.

As a firm believer in God’s divinity in ordering her life, Condison demonstrates her faith by practising the compound effect.

“I believe that the continuous effort put towards something will bring the grand result that I envision,” she shared. “I also believe passion and perseverance are critical components of attaining success in any aspect of life, and I live by the word ‘meraki’, which means ‘Leave a piece of your soul in everything you do’.”