Plié toasts a decade of dance

It was an evening of elegance, artistry, and celebration inside The Little Theatre on Saturday as Plié for the Arts marked its 10th anniversary with the Jamaican leg of its Amalgamation Global Gala. The formal affair, held on August 29, brought together an impressive roster of international and Caribbean dancers for the first of two nights of performances, culminating a regional tour that had already made stops in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. Among the night’s major highlights was the Caribbean premiere of Love Rocks, performed by members of the internationally acclaimed Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Choreographed by Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson to the music of rock star Lenny Kravitz, the piece added another memorable moment to a programme packed with world-class dance. The evening also featured Christopher Grant of New York City Ballet; Ashley Green of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Adji Cissoko and Shuaib Elhassan of Alonzo King LINES Ballet; dancers from Parsons Dance; and the Plié Caribbean Collective, which placed regional talent alongside some of the world’s leading dance professionals. Richardson, a celebrated dancer, choreographer, and co-founder of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, was the night’s honoree and received the Icon Award, while renowned ballerina Misty Copeland served as patron of the 10th anniversary celebration. For Richardson, whose mother is Barbadian, being recognised in the Caribbean made the occasion particularly poignant. “This is an incredible evening. I’m just honoured and so very blessed to be here. My mother is Bajan, and I grew up with this idea of ‘Caribbean-ness’, and experiencing it really feels quite like homecoming,” he said. Richardson also used the moment to urge Caribbean audiences to continue investing in the region’s young dancers. “Thank you all for helping to support your young talent because they are amazing. We don’t see this type of talent all the time living in the city. So those of you who have these incredible beings in your midst, please continue to support them. They need you,” he said.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet performing LOVE ROCKS, choreographed by Dwight Rhoden with music by Lenny Kravitz at AMALGAMATION Global Gala at The Little Theatre on August 29, 2026. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

That support took tangible form during the evening when three dancers — Kato Austin, Matthew Johnson, and Lauryn Rickman — were awarded scholarships to attend Complexions. For Plié for the Arts founder and Artistic Director Marisa Benain, Saturday’s packed house was an emotional validation of a vision she has spent a decade building. Speaking with the Jamaica Observer following the first night’s performances, Benain said she was overwhelmed by how far the organisation had come. “Just having a vision and seeing the same vision evolve and get bigger and bigger and bigger, and you can’t stop it! Plié is from my soul. There is nothing better that I want to do than do Plié,” she said. The Kingston engagement followed successful stops on Plié’s 10th anniversary Caribbean tour. The celebrations opened in Trinidad and Tobago on August 23 at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, where the production featured the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Trinidad and Tobago. The tour then moved to Barbados for performances at Frank Collymore Hall on August 25 and 26, presented alongside the National Cultural Foundation. Benain described the reception across the region as spectacular, but said returning home to a full house carried special significance. “It’s been wonderful. I mean, you’re talking about going to Trinidad and then you go to Barbados and you see the reception and how they loved it. It really warmed my heart, and to come home and get a full house is very special to me. Jamaica is my home and I want that support here,” she said. Among her personal favourites from Saturday’s programme were Caught, Ave Maria, Bolero, and Carmina. She also reserved high praise for the Plié Caribbean Collective, whose dancers she said demonstrated the world-class calibre of talent that exists within the region.