Dance — a source of empowerment
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Through the Khulcha Theatre School of Dance, which she has operated for 26 years, choreographer and educator Carolyn Russell-Smith says that she is using her craft as a source of empowerment.
“A lot of persons underestimate the power of the arts. We are a school (that) embraces educating a child through the medium of the arts. I have always been an advocate for that type of thing,” she said.
Outside of the core activity, she said that her students are exposed to other skills such as time management, communication, conflict resolution, teamwork, as well as exposed to guidance on nutrition and encouraged to read in a library area provided.
Themes are used to convey various messages in dance performances and 2014 ended with the Christmas production, “The reason for the season”, at the Cecil Charlton Hall in Mandeville.
Russell-Smith said that the event was “clean family entertainment” and was well attended.
Proceeds from the production are expected to assist students from Khulcha to attend a conference in Denmark in July and to replace stolen equipment and costumes at the school.
Russell-Smith is among those making a mark on the Caribbean Examination Council’s Theatre Arts programme and lends her expertise to organisations such as the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and Dance and Child International (daCi).
— Alicia Sutherland