Children participate in the opening ceremony of the Dance and the Child International Conference on August 2 at Emancipation Park, New Kingston. The one-week conference ended last Saturday in a similar fashion with lots of dancing and creative expressions. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

In addressing fellow delegates at the closing ceremony of the 11th Dance and the Child International (daCi) Conference, a young Jamaican summed up what the week meant for the more than 450 participants.

She said the daCi Conference had taught time management, responsibility, teamwork and unity. She added it had taught participants about the world through dance. That included being exposed to Jamaican dances and participating in dinki mini and dancehall.

Her peers agreed and responded with thunderous applause.

An artful week

Hosted by the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMC), the daCi Conference was a week of speeches, field trips, presentation of papers and dances. When the curtains came down last Saturday at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), it was a less formal affair than the opening ceremony, but was just as innovative in execution. Not only did the closing ceremony take place at different locations on the campus, but the children's ring game Punchinello Little Fellow was used as the link between speakers. The audience was asked to sing the jingle at the end of each presentation to welcome the next.

The closing ceremony began in the UWI Assembly Hall and daCi chair-elect, Eva Anttila of Finland, noted that "daCi Conference is a transformative experience; for old timers it is a reaffirmation. For new ones, it is infectious - an infection that cannot be cured".

Outgoing daCi chairperson, Jamaican Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson, told the gathering that the conference was "saying yes to children of the region and Jamaica".

The ceremony next moved to the UWI Ring Road where groups of delegates performed traditional dances from Jamaica, Cuba, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti at designated areas along the Ring Road. The Haitian dance Ra Ra was choreographed by Adia Whittaker, a visiting African American. She explained that Ra Ra is a traditional carnival dance. Whittaker also commended the group of dancers, who not only had to rehearse the movements but worked with props and learned the words of the song.

Awesome Conference

Dance and the Child International Conference chairperson Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson. - Contributed

Peter Stichbury of New Zealand, still dressed in his costume depicting Pitchy Patchy, one of the Jonkoonu characters, described his first experience at a daCi Conference as awesome. While his favourite was the session on yoga, he also liked the Jamaican traditional dances.

Among those who traversed the Ring Road segment was patron of the event Barbara Requa. She has only been absent from two daCi conferences.

"This is the most exciting conference. Close to 500 people came to Jamaica, it is incredible; they adapted to the heat and never complained," she told The Gleaner, adding that DeGrasse-Johnson did a marvellous job.

In a session titled 'The Key Note Address' at the Little Theatre last Friday, the topic was 'Dance and Technology'. Lisa Naugle, professor at UCLA was the presenter. Her presentation highlighted a 15-year investigative work between her and videographer John Crawford. Utilising video footage, her presentation focused on teaching and learning through interactive dance video, pop art, responsive art, sound and video and real bodies.

Sue-Ann Greg, another Jamaican delegate who found the conference educational, said she worries the video component may distract from the real dance.

The next daCi Conference will be held in Taiwan in 2012. Taiwan National University of the Art will be the host institution.