Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer

The bodies spoke eloquently at the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, annual concert of Dance 'Physical Labrish', dubbed 'Thinking Allowed'. The show was held in the Studio Theatre, Arthur Wint Drive, on Sunday, November 19. - Winston Sill / Freelance Photographer

The faculty at the School of Dance once again donned their leotards and imaginations for the 2006 version of Physical Labrish, dubbed 'Thinking Allowed'. The result was another staging of insightful, thought provoking and entertaining dance.

Staged at the dance studio at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (which parents the Dance School), Arthur Wint Drive last weekend, the show featured 12 dances including an impromptu piece. The dances unveiled new thought spouting from the minds and bodies of the established and emerging choreographers who comprise the school's faculty.

Showcasing talent

This year's artistic director was Neila Ebanks who also co-hosted the show with Marlon Simms. Physical Labrish came to being in large part as a way of showcasing the talent that goes into the School of Dance as well as getting people engaged with the space.

That tradition was continued under Ebanks' guidance, this time using video footage to showcase other pieces of work by the choreographers as well as allowing them to explain what choreography means to them. Live dances were interspersed with video footage which ranged from pieces with the choreographers in rehearsal to footage of other dancers.

'Thinking Allowed' was thoughtful, witty, inspiring and sometimes simply awesome. Arsenio Andrade's Intervalos was one of the most intriguing pieces of the concert. Witty and thoughtful the dance used energetic movement which was well paced as it moved from light-heartedness to seriousness and back again.

Nicholeen DeGrasse Johnson's If created a beautiful tapestry of the blues. Featuring Shama Harding, Barbara Requa and Marlon Simms, If featured a poignant reflection of thwarted romance.

Oneil Pryce's Many Roads/One Destination presented an interesting look at spirituality, which was influenced but not immersed in folk ideology. Alaine Grant presented a literal representation of poetry in motion as she danced to Lorna Goodison's poetry from Heartease with Wryds - a planned Improvisation.

Ebanks brought a delightful piece of light-hearted humour with A Life Conventional. The dance featured a nun who delves into dancing with wild abandon while cloaking herself in the demurred garb which is the face she shows to the world. It seemed to be a snippet of what Catholic school girls must imagine nuns get up to when no one else is looking.

Improvisation

The evening also featured improvisation by Clive Thompson with Ooman Story, Robertha Daley with Island Woman and Me Alone and Frederick 'Tippa' Moncrieffe' with a journey down Jamaican pop dancing over two decades in 4 by 50 in 3.

An impromptu dance was also created as two guests were allowed to give the bare bones of a choreography which resulted in the work dubbed What Lies Beneath, a look at life on a coral reef.

At the end of the evening, it was loud and clear that thinking had indeed been allowed in another engaging bout of labrish.