THE choreographers for the Stella Maris Dance Ensemble were indeed very busy as they prepared for their 2014 season of dance.

Of the seven works showcased this year, five were new works with the remainder being remounts, in a presentation that was indeed new, fresh and must mark a new, upward point of the company’s growth trajectory.

Of these new works, it was MoniKa Lawrence’s Stolen Inner-Sense which caused you to sit up in you chair and take note.

While it started off in a mundane, run-of-the-mill manner, the audience was never prepared for the dramatic, mid-stream plot twist. Without giving away the axis on which the work twists sharply, what then unfolds is a powerful ballet.

The tableau featuring the three female dancers is tender, touching and powerful at the same time. The use of the sea of red fabric hits home and ‘tun up’ the dramatic effect. The appreciative applause at the end of Saturday’s performance of this piece is an indication that Lawrence and her team could have a keeper for the repertoire on their hands.

Another ‘newbie’ which was definitely worth the watch was Patchwork, choreographed by Tony Wilson.

Wilson, who is artistic director for The Company Dance Theatre is renowned for his use of the techniques developed by dance greats Lester Horton and Martha Graham. He brings that sensibility to this piece with its melange of dance styles. This is further emphasised by the eclectic blend of accompaniment including thought-provoking dub poetry by Mutabaruka.

Encuentro, the second of two new pieces by Cuban choreographer Tokie Gonzalez, the other being My Language, featured a promising pair of the ensemble’s dancers. The expressive Roxanne Corniffe and her male counterpart Gavin Hart were entrusted to interpret this work. However, it was in the area of chemistry where they fell short. Technically, both have to make an effort to be lither in handling this piece. The tender moments were at times killed by how heavy they were on their feet. It is certainly not beyond these two dancers, but will come once the work becomes seasoned.

The all-male cast of Wanted added another dimension to the presentation and was well received.

Lawrence and her team chose well when they selected Where is Maria? (1998) and Gye Nyame (except God) from 2001, as the remounts for this season. With the Yuletide season fast approaching, the Madonna and child theme which features in Where is Maria? is timely and the dramatic dénouement with what came across as floating lights only served to cement this as a favourite. The African rhythms, movements and themes of Gye Nyame have made it an audience favourite since it premiered 13 years ago.

The Stella Maris Dance Ensemble can indeed step into the lights and take a bow for a rich and diverse offering which included a majority of never-before-seen works, which presenting an example of their existing repertoire.

— Richard Johnson