Kevin A. Ormsby celebrates close to four decades in dance with a Trilogy of BEing

BY PAUL JUNOR

Kevin A. Ormsby has been making waves in the dance community in Toronto for over thirty years. As a: dancer, choreographer, artistic director of Kashe Dance, and program manager at CPAMO he has received numerous accolades.

I interviewed Kevin on Wednesday, March 22^nd, regarding his upcoming Trilogy of BEing, which will be held at The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance in Toronto from April 13^th – 15^th. We recalled that we both know each other from when he was a student at Pearson Collegiate Institute in the early 1990s. Kevin shared with me information about his early years at the National Dance Theatre in Jamaica and some of the awards that he earned while he was there.

Kevin is particularly proud and grateful for all the relationships that he has developed, friendships formed and mentors who have nurtured his artistic talents and creative gifts since his arrival in Canada on August 8^th, 1992. He is specifically appreciative of the performative role and administrative responsibilities that he has held with some of the leading dance companies in Toronto. These include: Dance Caribe Performing Company, Scarborough Caribbean Youth Dance Ensemble, Caribbean Dance Theatre, Caribbean Folk Performers, Children and Youth Dance Theatre and Ballet Creole.

Kevin is cognizant of the power of the Black body to occupy space in a gendered, classist, sexist and racist world. He utilizes the medium of artistic dance to express the full range of the multi-dimensional  aspects of the full humanity as embodied presence in creative space. Kevin shared with me a quote that is meaningful to him, “The arts and culture is integral to cultural life.” The power of this statement is reflected in the creative work that he does.

Kevin shared with me the challenges he faced as he had to make major adjustments because of the COVID-19 pandemic. His presentation is a bi-national solo project, and is a creative collaboration between Canadian and American choreographers- all of who had danced with Ormsby throughout his career. The production is grounded in Black the existence: environmental, social and cultural.

Kevin described the importance of the first presentation, “Unmasked Seaweek King.”

It brings to light contemporary issues and concerns regarding the role humans play in the influence on the environment, as reflected in the worlds of a character who is gifted with knowledge and wisdom that connects Afro-Caribbean mas performance traditions.

It is a transdisciplinary expedition project merging: scientific, environmental, and artistic research around ocean conservation and climate change as a part of The Kula Ring, A Gifting Economy (2016).

For Kevin, the second piece titled, “Somebody,” resulted from Kevin’s provocative response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of the six policemen in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2021. Denise Fujiwara suggested a collaborative creative process that resulted in the solo for him. In addition, there will be powerful poetic pieces by Giller Prize-winning Canadian Author Ian Wiliams, and Olive Senior (Poet Laureate of Jamaica 2021-2024). In addition, Rosamund S. King will enrich the presentation with a solo piece that utilizes the contemporary butoh technique.

The third piece titled, “Dear Brother” is a visual commentary of the importance of Harlem, which was characterized by the features of the 1960s-1970s leading up to the evolution of hip-hop in the 1980s. There will be reflections on contemporary Black and Brown lives in shaping music, fashion and popular culture.

Anyone interested in attending the performance on April 13^th-15^th can contact The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance located at 304 Parliament Street in Toronto.

For additional information about any aspect of Kevin’s work visit him at www.citadelcie.com