Emotion through movement

Shakeil Jones is unfazed by the negative connotations often ascribed to men involved in dance.
Shakeil Jones is unfazed by the negative connotations often ascribed to men involved in dance.

SHAKEIL JONES is unfazed by the negative connotations often ascribed to men involved in dance. And it shows.

Jones’ seamless performance of a traditional African folk dance at the opening of the Tobago Heritage Festival on July 12 made the audience take notice.

Days later, the young, gifted dancer also commanded the stage during the Pembroke Folk and Cultural Performers’ Salaaka Fest presentation in the heritage festival, his powerful movements and seemingly boundless energy mesmerising patrons.

Jones, 24, said his performances came naturally.

Shakeil Jones airborne during his performance at the opening of the Tobago Heritage Festival at Shaw Park Cultural Complex on July 12.

“To me, dance is that place where I am freely able to express myself. There is no holding back,” he told Newsday.

“It is just amazing to really see how you could express any type of emotion through movement.

“That is one of the things that I love. Sometimes, you’re down, sometimes you are happy, sad and it could all be expressed through movement. I think that is the reason why I love it so much. It teaches you a lot about yourself and how to handle situations.”

Back home on vacation from Florida State University, Tallahassee, where he is completing a master’s degree in dance, specialising in studio and its related studies, Jones said he is being exposed to four genres of dance: ballet, contemporary, traditional folk and Western African.

Of the degree, he said: “I think it comes very easy to me even though there are challenges where some of the work is concerned. But I believe because I have a natural passion and genuine love for dance that it becomes very easy for me.”

Jones also has a Bachelor’s degree in international relations from the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies.

Jones said while people are becoming more accepting of men in dance, there is still much work to be done.

He observed: “Within the Caribbean, not just Tobago, dancing by men, to me, is frowned upon. I don’t think we have really grasped the idea of it being something that is masculine or in keeping with the stereotypical view of what a man should be.

Shakeil Jones

“There are several connotations that come with that, not that I see the need to get into it. But I think, slowly, we are coming to appreciate men being involved in dance.”

Saying men are a common feature of dance troupes in the US and other parts of North-America, the Pembroke native said he learnt they have always played a major role in Tobago’s culture.

“My mother would always talk about men being involved but there would be like a differentiation in the type of dances they would do. So there was always that stereotypical construct of the man doing manly things and women doing womanly things. But now you see men stepping out into the spectrum of dance and really allowing themselves to explore more within the field.”

Jones began dancing at the age of five. He recalled his mother’s family was actively involved in the Tobago Heritage Festival and Best Village.

“It’s in the bloodline and that is why I would have gotten into it, I believe.”

At the age of ten, Jones journeyed with the Pembroke Folk and Cultural Performers to Carriacou, Grenada, for the Maroon and String Band Festival - an experience he thoroughly enjoyed.

“I think it was there I grasped a sense of what this dance thing really entails.”

Later, as a student of Scarborough Secondary, Jones represented both his school and the island at various cultural events. The experience, he said, was a turning point in his life.

“During that time, I realised dance was my calling because when something comes naturally, you don’t have to work too hard.”

Jones said he never looked back and constantly sought opportunities to enhance his talent.

Apart from the Pembroke Folk and Cultural Performers, he is a foundation member of the Xante Dance Company.

Jones also performs with the Urban Ritual Dance Company and Malick Folk Performing Company.

In Florida, Jones is now a fixture in the Addiction Dance Experience, a group which has gained quite a reputation for merging sensuality with dance.

“They merge the idea of sensuality and technique, bringing a different look and focus to dance. They play more on the emotion, that idea of merging sexiness with dance.”

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