What’s in Store for Dance Lovers at Dance X Belize 2015?
But Dance X is for most people synonymous with the name Jamie Thompson. A Belizean dancer living in the U.S. and a creative arts director, Thompson recently formed his own dance company, Lyve Arts Project, and will be performing one of his original pieces in a duet on Friday night at the Bliss. Also being featured will be the Dallas Black Dance Theatre on which Thompson was once a member. Thompson is also known for his famous ostrich dance and last year’s tribute to Paul Nabor. Today, he spoke of wanting to change the dynamics of the dance world locally.
Jamie Thompson, Director, Lyve Arts Project
“I am really, really excited because every year I come; I’m one of the organizers for Dance X…I try to come with something new every year. Before I brought the historic piece and last year I did a tribute to Paul Nabor. So this year I was challenged with what am I gonna do now. So I decided why not just bring your own company. I thought it was fitting to the new team that we are doing for this year. I have one dancer that I am bringing with me because we are doing a duet that I created just for Dance X. So I am excited to share my international company with the Belizean audience. I remember in 2011 that there was not a seat available in the Bliss and I would like to think that it was because it was me and not an international company. Just in case I wasn’t sure which reason, the company is coming back and I am bringing my own. To me it is important because four years ago, I was in that company and now I am sharing, creatively sharing, the bill with them. I think that is a huge accomplishment for myself and I am extremely excited.”
Jamie Thompson
Duane Moody
“When people do come out—not only to the forum, but also to the performances, the events leading up to Sunday—what is it expected that they are going to take home with them? That is for dancers and the general public alike.”
Jamie Thompson
“The general public…what I would them to take home is a redefinition of what dance is. You know for us dance is an extracurricular activity or it is for the dance company or it is on So You Think you Can Dance. Those are the things we think about when we think about dance. I want people to understand the placement of dance in our culture; what does that means to us as a Belizean people. Could you image what the Garifuna culture would have been like without dance? Can you imagine what the Creole culture would have been like without dance? I am not only talking about the cultural history, but our social lifestyle. Why do September celebrations…what would all of that be without dance. So it is very important for us to invest in these things so that when it is time for us to live our lives, cause we are cultural beings; that we know how to indulge in these and we know how to appreciate it as well.”
The theme for this year’s Dance X is “Dance – A tool for Culture Preservation and Continuity.” On Wednesday night at the forum, Thompson will be presenting five goals that he believes can be accomplished over the next year to the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH).
