A powerful showing of unity and movement unfolded at Jazz on the Square on Wednesday, as 124 dancers filed onto the premises, taking the floor with a dynamic “mass movement” performance – a culmination of months of work between Saint Lucian choreographers and an international creative team led by London-based Creative Director Jeanefer Jean-Charles, who has Saint Lucian heritage.
Jean-Charles, known for choreographing large-scale community productions including events for the London Olympics and FA Cup finals, worked alongside local choreographers and two assistants, Natasha Khamjani and Nosiey Samente, to prepare the dancers.
“This was the day we’ve been working towards for the last couple of months,” Jean-Charles told the St Lucia Times. “The dancers and choreographers were fantastic, really talented, just waiting for more opportunities. I would say that’s the thing that they don’t have enough of. But you could see they’re hungry. They want to perform, they take it seriously.”
Jean-Charles’ visit to Saint Lucia with her assistants marked a meaningful collaboration focused not only on performance but also on training. The result was a visually striking showcase of diverse local dance styles.
For South Africa-born Nosiey Samente, who now lives in England, the experience was especially moving. “It’s been such an amazing experience working with the choreographers and artists and seeing all the different genres. Everybody was so dedicated and just wanted to be part of today. I’m so proud of them.”
Natasha Khamjani echoed that sentiment, noting that the choreography was deeply rooted in Saint Lucian culture. “We all sat down, with input from Jeanefer, and the choreographers decided which styles they wanted to showcase. One of my favourite sections is the Dennery Segment. I absolutely loved learning about what their styles are and what they love teaching.”
The trio expressed a strong desire to return to the island and continue working with local talent. “They have so much to offer,” Samente said. “We’d love to come back, share experiences, but also learn from the dancers themselves.”
Jean-Charles added, “I’m hoping after the gold medal and the second medal that was won recently, that there will be more attraction for Saint Lucia” – a nod to the growing spotlight on the island’s talent following Julien Alfred’s historic performance at the 2024 Olympic G
