UTech’s first season of dance makes historic debut

UTech’s 2026 Season of Dance was nothing short of historic – a one-night premiere that marked the Centre for the Arts’ first-ever formal season, Mudayane, a Swahili term meaning “we are one” and embodying “a melting pot of dance genres and cultural collaborations”.

Philip Clarke, director for arts and culture at the University of Technology’s Centre for the Arts (CFA), told The Gleaner that the February 21 showcase represented a milestone for the institution.

And what a premiere it proved to be. From the flirty to the celebratory, the cultural to the romantic, the rebellious to the nostalgic, the angst-ridden to the poignant – culminating even in Michael Jackson’s Thriller – all 17 pieces were warmly received, as the thunderous applause and the exuberant cheers from a lively ‘penny session’ made clear.

Several of the works were Jamaica Cultural Development Commission gold medal-winners from previous years. The evening climaxed with Reggae Vibration, inspired by Bob Marley’s Could You Be Loved. A brief interlude came courtesy of the hypnotic rhythms of the UTech Drum Ensemble.

After the final crescendo, the ensemble – 18 women and one man – was presented to the audience, their expressions of joy revealing exactly how they felt about the night’s achievement. Kevin Moore, choreographer and director of dance at the CFA, accepted his recognition with a deep, appreciative bow.

In a post-show interview with The Gleaner, Moore explained that the production took roughly four months to complete. “The most challenging aspect of the production was the availability of all the dancers. The dancers are all students of UTech, Jamaica. Because of their studies or work, they were unavailable to attend rehearsals, which I found extremely frustrating,” he said.

Yet the seasoned dancer also reflected, “I feel deeply grateful and accomplished. Establishing the inaugural show for this ensemble was a massive undertaking, and to see it succeed so beautifully is a testament of the hard work of the UTech Centre for the Arts, and the dancers of the Dance Ensemble. We have created a legacy, and a piece of history for UTech Jamaica Dance Ensemble.”

“The feedback was overwhelming. We were incredibly honoured that the president of UTech, Dr Kevin Brown, recognised the value of the showcase, suggesting it should become an annual undertaking for the university. When you hear the audience describing the work as ‘captivating’ and ‘entertaining’, it confirms that we didn’t just put on a show, we created an experience that resonated positively with the audience.

In addressing the audience before the performances began, Brown said the show should have been staged last year but was postponed because of the passage of Hurricane Melissa, and that its staging now was an act of determination.

“We have always had talent at UTech, and although STEM-focused we’ve always ensured that the arts live at UTech, and I want to commend the CFA for their hard work in ensuring that every student at UTech has an opportunity to express themselves through the performing arts,” Brown told the gathering. He also commended the coaches, trainers and dancers, while encouraging the audience to support them.

But it is not all about dancing on stages. The CFA, according to Clarke, is much more than that. Its aim is also to expose students from different disciplines to professional production management and systems — many of whom have never attended a formal show before. The idea is to prepare them for the wider creative industry as part of their individual course of study.

“It’s the beginning of a whole lot of things. We want people to recognise and understand that a student may come to UTech to do architecture, engineering, computer science, business management, etc, but, there is also a viable career in the performing arts. There is the whole business of production management, events planning, stage management, props and costume management, as well as the whole business of putting on a production,” Clarke said.

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