Philipsburg: ---Imbali Center for Creative Movement will be staging its 15th anniversary celebratory, fundraising concert at the Philipsburg Cultural and Community Center on Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12 at 8pm sharp.
This production, which is titled 'In My Feet Is God's Rhythm', focuses on exploring ideas about spirituality from around the world through the medium of dance. Clara Reyes, founder of Imbali and director of this production, said that the all adult cast would be performing energetic and rhythmic pieces celebrating the connection between dance and spirituality. Cast members for this production are Jacky Nichols, Bianka Roberts, Stacy Roberts, Hillianthe Boasman-Simon, Sylveria Jacobs, Candide Bernard, Thierry Gombs, Cassandra Janssan, Peggy Oulerich, Laure Delion, Maryline Jouvenet, Shanay Andrews, Cavin Bridgewater, Karim Toulen, Rudolph Davis and Ademar Violenus. They will be performing to rhythms produced by drummers Julien Seguret, Helier Coqilias, Pierre Curran, Victor Helia. Reyes, Lena Brown and Miguel Alexander will also treat the audience to several songs on the same topic.
Reyes explained that while she had wanted to put together a show highlighting performances from her previous productions over the years, time had not permitted for this and instead she decided to gather together choreographers from around the island to build a show paying tribute to the origins of Imbali.
"Imbali is really about dance and movement, about honoring the body and what it is capable of doing. That is what this show is about. In the past I have done shows that were really multi-disciplinary and of course I will do such again, but this show is really different, because I decided to go back to the beginning, to go back to strictly dance," Reyes said.
As a part of the celebration of dance and especially traditional dance on the island Reyes has invited Evelyn Roberts, whose grandfather danced the ponum at emancipation and Justin "Moose" Romney, whose dance moves are appreciated at a popular island club, to be special guest performers in the line-up.
"To me dance is always about the people, it originated after all from people finding ways of expressing themselves. On the island we have a strong history of dancers and people appreciating good dancers. Because of this I really wanted to incorporate that legacy into this production. Ms. Evelyn and Mr. Moose, who will both be dancing waltzes, will do this beautifully," Reyes said.
Reyes said that in addition to the traditional waltz, audiences will see pieces from ballet, modern contemporary, African and Caribbean dance genres. The cast has been practicing diligently for the past weeks and are ready to blow audiences away.
"This is a really strong cast of performers and I am proud to work with them. They have managed to wrap their minds and souls around the message I am trying to bring with this production; which is that dance in its purest form is all about the spirit, about what moves people," Reyes said.
Tickets for this production are available at Imbali Center for Creative Movement office in the John Larmonie Center on Longwall Road in Philipsburg and at Pete's Photo on Bushroad. Costs are $20 for adults in advance and $25 at the gate and $10 for children in advance and $15 at the gate. More information about the show can be obtained by calling Reyes at 554-9364.
"People who have enjoyed Imbali productions in the past should definitely come out and see this one. It is unlike any we have done before, and of course we want people to come and see 15 years of dance progress which honors the past and still is innovative about the future," Reyes concluded.