National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC)
4 Tom Redcam Avenue Kingston, Jamaica

CELEBRATING OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH Eddy Thomas, Co-Founder of the NDTC, was not only a dancer and choreographer with the Company, he was also a musician, costume and set designer, and commercial artist. In 1958 he founded and directed the Eddy Thomas Workshop, with branches in Kingston and Mandeville, which acted as a foremost training ground for the development of legendary Jamaican artists. His four years with Ivy Baxter developed into a partnership i...n which he acted as dancer, costume director, or composer and Baxter as choreographer. Works that grew out of the cooperative effort, such as 'Rat Passage', 'Seven Stages', 'Once Upon a Seaweed', were all artistic successes in Jamaica. He played the lead in two Jamaican pantomimes and choreographed several musicals, including 'Finian’s Rainbow'. In 1959, Thomas won the Jamaican government Arts Council Award and studied in New York and at the Connecticut College Dance Festival in New London with Martha Graham and other modern dance exponents such as Merce Cunningham and José Limón. He joined the Graham Company for a season on Broadway and later returned to Broadway with 'Kwamina', choreographed by Agnes De Mille. Thomas returned to Jamaica to coproduce 'Roots and Rhythms' with Rex Nettleford in celebration of the nation’s thrust toward Independence and to help establish the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC). He choreographed memorable works including Legend of Lovers’ Leap (1962), A Time to Rejoice (1962), Footnotes in Jazz (1962), Afro West Indian Suite (1962), Games of Arms (1963), Liza (1963), And It Came To Pass (1964), Concert Suite (1964), Country Wedding (1964), Parade Kingston 13 (1965), Jamaican Promenade (1966) and Omegan Procession (1966). As a costume designer, he had a sensitive grasp of the colours of tropical Jamaica and was responsible for most of the costume designs for the Company’s repertoire. For an all access pass to the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) of Jamaica SUBSCRIBE to our new Youtube Channel. CLICK ON LINK BELOW www.ndtcjamaica.org

CELEBRATING OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH Bridget Spaulding née Casserly brought to the dance, a spirit of enquiry and alertness of mind which made her a personality on the West Indian University Jamaica campus where she pursued studies in Economics (Honours). Bridget along with her sister Maureen Casserly had a good sense of interpretation and a lyrical quality that betrayed years of classical ballet training under Madam May Soohih. She was a featured dancer ...in the love-duet from 'Games of Arms' (1963), the Cold War spoof choreographed by Eddy Thomas and danced the Young Woman in 'Two Drums for Babylon' (1964). Her first tour was with the Company when it visited Stratford, Canada in 1963. After establishing herself as a performer she left the stage to serve as the Company’s Secretary, Treasurer and Tour Manager under the artistic directorship of Rex Nettleford and Barry Moncrieffe for over four decades. Spaulding's astute leadership was crucial to the Company's survival following the untimely passing of Rex Nettleford in 2010 who served as sole Artistic Director from 1967. For an all access pass to the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) of Jamaica SUBSCRIBE to our new Youtube Channel. CLICK ON LINK BELOW. www.ndtcjamaica.org

CELEBRATING OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH Maureen Casserly had early training in classical ballet with Anatole and later Madam Soohih and developed into a perfectionist in her work as well as with Eddy Thomas, Rex Nettleford and UWI summer school. She was acclaimed as one of the island’s finest dancers and won critical acclaim in the Company’s 1964 Season for her moving portrayals as the Young Woman in 'Two Drums for Babylon' and the Girl in 'Foiled Encounters...'. She was an accomplished actress, as was seen in her role as Susan in 'Finian’s Rainbow' produced in 1962 for the Little Theatre Movement by Lloyd Reckord. Her acting talent was also showcased in the role of Miss Amelia in the folk-ballet 'Plantation Revelry' (1963). Maureen taught dance in Spanish Town and at her old ballet studio and toured with the Company to Stratford, Canada and with Jamaican dancers to Washington and Baltimore. For an all access pass to the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) of Jamaica SUBSCRIBE to our new Youtube Channel. CLICK ON LINK BELOW. www.ndtcjamaica.org

CELEBRATING OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH Mavis Stoppi joined the Company after early training with Soohih and the Gordon-Rumsey Schools. She had a natural grace in her dancing and used it to good advantage in many of the major works of the Company. She immersed herself in the work of the Company fulfilling much promise that showed itself in Neville Black's 'Rites' (1965). Her acting talents reveal a refreshing sense of comedy and she created the role of the d...umb ballerina in a vignette for the 1962 'Roots and Rhythms' Season. For an all access pass to the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) of Jamaica SUBSCRIBE to our new Youtube Channel. CLICK ON LINK BELOW. www.ndtcjamaica.org

CELEBRATING OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH Monica McGowan studied and performed with the Ivy Baxter group, Soohih School (Ballet) and the University of the West Indies, Jamaica summer school. McGowan was considered a stylish and intelligent dancer with dramatic power and impeccable gift for phrasing. She was noted for her performance in 'Legend of Lovers’ Leap' in the role of Liza. But it was not until the 1970’s with such works as 'Lucifer Lucifer' (in the rol...e of the woman), 'The Rope and the Cross' (Judith), 'Shadows' (the protagonist), 'Ni-Woman of Destiny' (Nanny), 'Mountain Woman' (the third generation woman), and 'Wonder Love and Raise' (as soloist) that she emerged as an artist of major stature. She later appeared in works like 'Gerrehbenta' and Islands in the 1980’s, this owing to her high level of concentration and commitment which were honed from her ballet training and continued teaching of Cecchetti ballet methods to students at School of Dance Junior Department. McGowan also taught students at Kingston’s Holy Childhood School and several community dance groups in which she choreographed and at the time of her passing appeared in over fifty works in the Company’s wide-ranging repertoire. Monica McGowan was a recipient of the Institute of Jamaica Centenary Medal (1979) for her achievements in dance and drama. ___________ For an all access pass to the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) of Jamaica SUBSCRIBE to our new Youtube Channel. CLICK LINK BELOW www.ndtcjamaica.org

CELEBRATING OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH Pansy Hassan served as assistant to the Artistic Director and was for years Ballet Mistress following the passing of Yvonne daCosta. She was also Costume Co-ordinator for the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC). Her early training with Fay Simpson School of Ballet prepared her for the highly distinguished work she did in the Company particularly with her brilliant portrayal in 1971 as the uneclipsed queen in Kumina..., a role she played up to her untimely passing in 2006. She also had featured roles in ‘Legend of Lovers’ Leap’ (1962), ‘Kas Kas’ (1965), ‘Celebrations’ (1972), ‘Street People’ (1973), ‘Court of Jah’ (1975) and 'Drumscore' (1979). Hassan later showed a similar quality of understatement and linear quality in movement inspired by traditional forms in ‘Gerrehbenta’ (1983), especially the etu section. She contributed creatively not only to the administrative side of the Company but to the design side as well. See more