Conception Dance Theatre will join dance groups from around the world on Thursday, 6 August to participate in Holding Hands, the youth dance platform within Flexus Dance Collective’s 4-day Digital Dance & Arts Festival titled A Captured Moment.
When the threat of Covid-19 prompted the closure of all schools in mid-March, Conception Dance Theatre quickly transitioned to a virtual dance studio offering ballet, modern and acro classes. Keeping dancers engaged during virtual classes was not easy, so Conception’s dance faculty had to be innovative, a move that ultimately led a group of young Conception dancers, ages 9 – 16, to Flexus Dance Collective’s virtual stage.
Conception Dance Theatre will be showcasing Tropical Fever, highlighting Grenada’s traditional Bélé dance during Act 4 of Holding Hands on Thursday, 6 August from 1 pm – 3 pm (5 pm – 7 pm GMT). This Holding Hands submission is a work-in-progress and shows the rehearsal process working through Covid-19. Using virtual classes, the dancers learned the Bélé steps at home. Rehearsals then moved outdoors, giving the dancers ample space to practice together.
To find the cast of dancers for Tropical Fever, each Conception dance teacher picked one student from their modern, ballet or acro classes in order to represent a cross-section of the school. While these students are trained in contemporary styles, Artistic Director, Cecilia Griffith, was deliberate in her choice to bring traditional Bélé to the Flexus Dance Festival, and provide her dancers with an opportunity to learn and appreciate our rich Grenadian culture, and in so doing help them understand the importance of Grenadian identity.
Holding Hands youth dance platform is part of A Captured Moment, the digital dance and arts festival curated by UK-based Flexus Dance Collective. Holding Hands will be streamed on Flexus Dance Collective’s Youtube channel (Flexus Dance Collective) on Thursday, 6 August starting at 7 am (11 am GMT). Conception Dance Theatre will be featured during Act 4, which is scheduled to run from 1 pm – 3 pm.
Conception Dance Theatre