Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Star Chin-Jackson - Contributed

A star among dancers, Caribbean Limbo Queen Star Chin-Jackson has travelled the world and has always taken the lead. Born in St Ann, Chin-Jackson moved to the United States at an early age before moving back to Jamaica when she was 15.

Head of the group Caribbean Playmates for more than 30 years, Chin-Jackson danced cabaret at every hotel from the north to the south of Jamaica, as well as performing across the Caribbean and the wider world. Co-owner of 'The Jewel Box' in Twin Gates Plaza, Constant Spring Road, St Andrew, Chin-Jackson danced at night and helped design jewellery and raise her family in the day.

As a dancer Star represented Jamaican culture, helping to put the country on the map in the turbulent 1970s, performing for Emperor Haile Selassie, among others. The Sunday Gleaner caught up with Star recently at her store.

Sunday Gleaner: How did you learn to limbo dance?

Star: I danced with a group called Harold Eddinburgh Dance Group at the Glass Bucket Club. It was in front of Holy Cross Church in Half-Way Tree.

Tell me more about the Harold Eddinburgh Dance Group.

We were cabaret dancers; we used to do cabaret dancing for the club in Kingston. At that time we were the only cabaret dancers in Kingston, all the rest were on the north coast. We used to perform at nights along with the guest artistes, whoever it was.

How did you get involved with them?

Well I was dancing before when I came back from America. My mom was working at Issa's; he was there and he's from Trinidad, he used to dance. He decided to start a little thing. At the time Mr Issa was director of tourism and he asked him to put a little group together. He, at the time too, owned Glass Bucket and Tower Isle Hotel, and that's how we started to work on the circuit.

How old were you at the time?

At the time, 16.

Star Chin-Jackson goes under the limbo pole.

Did your family have a problem with you dancing?

Not really. Before that I was dancing in the States. I used to go to a dancing school, I used to perform at Carnegie Hall. I did modern dancing.

What happened after you joined the Eddingburgh Dance Group?

We danced, we toured, did a few tours with Issa. After dancing a few years I formed my own dance group the Caribbean Playmates. While I was working for myself I worked also as dance promotions for the Jamaica Tourist Board. I did all their promotions in dancing. We travelled all over the world; we called it 'Dance Around The World'.

Did you only do limbo dancing?

No sah. I dance fire dance, group dance, shake dance, limbo ... I'm the Caribbean's only Limbo Queen. I used to go six inches from the ground.

How did you get that title?

Well, no one else could match it.

Why did you start the Caribbean Playmates?

Star Chin-Jackson performs at a United States anniversary event.

I wanted to expand my idea about dancing. Joan Seaga and I, she was another promoter of dancers, we knew it was a folklore thing to be cabaret on the hotel circuit, but we wanted to jazz it up. Bikini, feathers, bananas, ackee, coconut, anything at all that fit on our costumes to make it beautiful, birdy, we just didn't bother with the long skirts at all times, which we mixed. We wanted to be more cabaret that tourists would see, plus we wanted to see Jamaican legs. And we had a motto too; out of many one people, we had all colours dancing.

Where did you guys perform?

Let's start at Club Caribbean, Hilton Hotel, Plantation Inn, Jamaica Inn. We did the whole circuit, including Trident and Dragon Bay. From Ocho Rios come right around, Negril too.

Where else did you perform?

We've been to Cuba, Belize, Canada, a few other places. We promoted the first flight to Germany for Air Jamaica. We did a tour across Canada promoting Air Jamaica and London as well. Anywhere Air Jamaica was going we were going. In the 1970s we were picked for dancing at the hotels 'cause it was such a bad time - war, political business, socialism. We had to get out there and promote Jamaica, let them know Jamaica was still there. They had a bad impression, so we did a lot of tourism work - and free too. Whole heap of charity, 'cause we were in the industry. If we didn't get people to come here we wouldn't have a home base to play to. It was our job to bring people here.

Did you ever get recognised by the Tourist Board for your work?

I have been recommended for an OD (Order of Distinction) but I turned it down.

Why?

Well, who recommended me for the OD? Desmond Henry, at the time he wasn't director of tourism. The rest knew what I did and nobody thought at the time to do it. I don't know if they thought it was a special thing or what; cause you know they looked down on dancers. One of the amazing things is that all the 35 years that I have danced I always had my business. I leave my business and go to work at night. I had two jobs and I left my business and my children and my husband and travelled for all two, three weeks at a time selling Jamaica.

Tell me about the Jewel Box. How did it get started?

It was started by myself and my husband; he's a jeweller. We have been doing this for 50 years. We have a factory now, as well as other stores. We don't have anything that everyone else has, I sell timeless things.

Is there any special dance that you love?

I like group dance. The thing I like about it is it's a happiness; you feel a happiness. Everybody is dancing and you feel that gravity; we're all laughing.

When you were on the hotel circuit what was the reaction from the audience like?

It's amazing, especially the Europeans. They can't believe that people were doing all of that dancing. They think like acrobats, coconut cutting is the thing, but they really see the work, the costumes. The Germans, the Europeans are really the nicest crowd; they are so easy to get along with.

What about the Jamaican crowd?

There are some Jamaicans who appreciate what you do, there are some who give you a negative reaction. Even today a lot of people look down on dancers. They figure it's part of the local show, they are not interested in that. Mostly we were dancing for tourist and a few locals enjoyed it.

What kind of music did you dance to?

Band music, the resident bands played at the hotel. We danced reggae, jazz, all the folklore dances you can think of, mixed with modern material. We did poco as well.

How long was one show?

Forty-five minutes.

How long did Caribbean Playmates go on for?

It went on for more than 30 years. I worked at Jamaica Hilton for 35 years; they call us the cornerstone. We closed the hotel when they sold it out.

Why did you stop dancing?

Well, I'm 65. If you're not gonna find someone who loves it as much as you do or can do it as well as you do, then what's the point? All my dancers had a profession, but for us dancing was a love, this is why we could go away for free. We run it like a business, everything we did together. But you know you dance you dance till one day you look in the mirror and it tells you to dance no more.

How many persons were there in the group?

Eight.

Do you think what you guys used to do is lost now?

No, it's not. We set a little precedent, a sort of cleanness, but people are still doing it. I have a trophy room that I keep of things from all the places I have travelled, all the places I have been. We danced at the American Centennial; we were proud to represent Jamaica.