Fontlife

2003/04 & 2005/06

Fontlife is a site-specific piece created by IRIE! dance theatre for the Eastern Fountain at Trafalgar Square. With thrilling live music and dance fusion the audience is invited to celebrate the spirit of water (Yemoja).

Choreography Beverley Glean, Denzil Barnes and Dancers
Costumes Janey Gardiner

Musicians Charles James, Anthony Reid, Zozo Shuaibu

Dancers Chrissie Adesina, Nas Evanson, Denzil Barnes, Jermaine Pemberton-Smith, Darriell Aldridge, Sarah Akinbiyi, Florance Okwan

Got it Covered

2002/03

An exciting blend of movement, which focuses on undulation & pulsation, a technique prevalent in traditional & contemporary Caribbean dance. The use of Soca music fused with the movement quality captures the vitality of a carnival atmosphere.

Choreography Beverley Glean
Set & costumes Janey Gardiner
Lighting Design Phil Supple
Performers Natalie Simons-Clifford, Simone Foster, Michelle Kwarteng, Denzil Barnes

Icon

2002/03

Set in an abstract world inspired by images, memories, poetry and music; the piece journeys through landscapes of questions and discoveries. Inspired by the works of Maya Angelou and Ted Joans.

Choreography Lincoln Allert
Set & costumes Janey Gardiner
Lighting Design Phil Supple
Performers Natalie Simons-Clifford, Simone Foster, Michelle Kwarteng, Denzil Barnes

Don’t Test

2002/03

A full length work that focuses with a number of challenges and trials that we all face through out lives. The work deals with relationships and communication in an earnest and sometimes humorous way. Performed as a
series of sketches, the work poses a number of questions; At what point does a test become a challenge? What is the quality of our intentions? The movement holds steadfast to IRIE!’s style of fusion and synthesising
traditional and contemporary dance.

Choreography: Beverley Glean, Curtis James & the Company
Creative advisor: Benji Reid
Set & costumes: Janey Gardiner
Lighting Design: Phil Supple
Performers:Christy Adesina, Natalie Simon-Clifford, Semone Foster, Michelle Kwarteng, Denzil Barnes,

As close as a breath

2001/02

Don’t Test

A full length work that focuses with a number of challenges and trials that we all face through out lives. The work deals with relationships and communication in an earnest and sometimes humourous way. Performed as a series of sketches, the work poses a number of questions;
At what point does a test become a challenge?
What is the quality of our intentions?
The movement holds steadfast to IRIE!’s style of fusion and synthesising traditional and contemporary dance.

Choreography Beverley Glean, Curtis James & the company
Creative advisor Benji Reid
Set & costumes Janey Gardiner
Lighting Design Phil Supple
Performers Natalie Simon-Clifford, Naomi Czuba, Paulette Ryan, Christy Adesina, Kwesi Johnson

Continuous Currents

1999/02

Based on a poem of the same name written by Albie Ollivierre

Choreography Beverley Glean, Lincoln Allert & Albie Ollivierre
Costume & set Janey Gardiner
Music & songs Zozo & Jubal
Composed/arranged Zozo & Jubal
Lighting Phil Supple
Performers Paulette Ryan, Chrissie Adesina, Jubal Carbon, Jacqueline Henry, Chidi

DRUMOLOGY

1997/98

Composer & Musicians Jubal Carbon, Billy Lawrence & Zozo Shuaibu
Costume Design Janey Gardiner

Making Strides

1997/98

EVOREVO Clash
The piece is an Afro-Carimod ballet presenting a contemporary representation of African influenced dances from the Caribbean.

Choreography L’Antoinette Stines
Set & Costumes Kathryn Chan
Lighting design Richard Moffatt
Music Kahlil Aaron Vereen
Dancers The Company-(CHRISTY ADESINA, ALBIE OLLIVIERRE, PAULETTE RYAN, SAFWAAN, SHARON STERNE, ANDREW WILLIAMS)

RESPECT

1997/98

Respect is a tribute to the wonderful music and spiritual legacy of
Bob Marley.

Choreography Beverley Glean
Set & Costumes Janey Gardiner
Music Bob Marley-Natural Mystic (Exodus;) Turn Your Lights Down Low (Exodus); So Jah Say (Natty Dread); Johnny Was (Rastaman Vibration); No Woman no Cry (Legend); natty Dread (Natty Dread); Exodus (Legend); and One Love (Exodus)
Lighting Design Richard Moffatt
Dancers The Company

Caribbean Suite

1996/97

African retention existing in the cultural tapestry of the Caribbean continue to stimulate contemporary artistic expression. Caribbean Suite is a dance theatre presentation rooted in the history and sensibilities of people nurtured over centuries in a dynamic Caribbean environment. The dance pays particular attention to the movement vocabulary unique to the vernacular of cultures within the Caribbean, reflecting the social events, religious rituals, secular as well as recreational dance/music heritage.
Choreography Jackie Guy
Set & Costumes Janey Gardiner
Lighting design Richard Moffatt
Music Jubal Carbon, Tafari & Zozo Shuaibu
Dancers The Company

Drumology

1996/97

Live drumming set with a fusion of drum rhythms from Africa, the Caribbean and South America.
Composed/Arranged Zozo Shuaibu, Jubal Carbon & Tafari
And played by

Connecting Vibes

1996/97

Connecting Vibes was inspired by West African artefacts. It is a powerful all-male piece that embroiders music and dance expressing beauty and sensuality.

Choreography Beverley Glean
Set & Costumes Janey Gardiner
Lighting design Richard Moffatt
Music A Elegua (Merceditas Valdés)
A Ja Ja (Babatunde Olatunji)
A Ochun (Merceditas Valdés)
Ogun La Ka Aiye (Babatunde Olatunji)
Dancers Lincoln Allert, Malachi Spaulding, Albie Ollivierre & Safwaan

Respect

1996/97

Respect is a tribute to the wonderful music and spiritual legacy of Bob Marley

Choreographer Beverley Glean
Set & Costumes Janey Gardiner
Lighting design Richard Moffatt
Music Various Bob Marley
Dancers The Company – (LINCOLN ALLERT, NAOMI CZUBA, CHRISTY ADESINA, ALBIE OLLIVIERRE, FRANCES MYERS, PAULETTE RYAN, MALACHI, SAFWANN

Ancient Futures 1

May 1996

An international season of black contemporary dance from USA, Jamaica and the UK.

L’Acadco Jamaica
Forces of Nature USA
IRIE! dance theatre UK

Rude Girls Party

1995/96

The temple of women is located in a small village far away from the city. Each of the women possesses special qualities by which they are named – Strength, Purpose, Pain & Passion. They have the guardian of the music, to protect the music and stop it from being used to cause harm. We witness their adventure and share their experiences as they endeavour to protect their gifts from being tainted by the cruel realities of life. We journey with them through joy, anguish, hope and madness.

Choreography Beverley Glean & The Company
Poems Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze
Music Zozo, Jubal
Costumes Usuela Bomshell
Dancers Ayo Jones, Bolaji Badejo, Christy Adesina & Sharon Sterne

BMW

1994/95

For many years BMW (‘black man’s wagon’) has been associated in the black community with black men on wheels. IRIE! has designed it’s very own 94/95 Model, registration IRIE! 10. History has shown black men being forced to walk with hunched shoulders bowed heads and shortened stride. BMW (Black Men Walking) looks at how we as a people have progressed to date.

Choreography Beverley Glean
Music arranged/ KM Bass Production Team
Composed by
Dancers David Sutton, Curtis Agard & Hughie Donegan

The Burial of Miss lady

1994/95

Miss lady is an archetypal bad woman of her village, not liking anybody, especially girl children. Yet no one ever knows all of someone else’s story. It’s one hour to midnight. Miss Lady dead, but she ain’t gone – at least not yet. Spirits roam and question as the story of her life is told at, ‘The Burial of Miss Lady’.

Script Merle Collins
Choreographer Beverley Glean
Music Arranged &
Composed by Dominique Legendre
Singers Jax Williams & Jacqui Maxwell
Musicians Ellison McDaniel Arttison (cellist) Zozo Shuaibu & Tony Reid
Dancers Sharon Sterne & Dalh

Story Behind the Song

1993/94

An exciting blend of music, dance, games, songs and riddles. We follow the story of Yam, a young girl suddenly thrown into a mystical journey of self-discovery and the importance of her own cultural heritage, as it relates to her life in modern day Britain.

Choreography H Patten
Sound & Lighting Matt Shadder & Steve
Costume Design H Patten
Music – Drummers Zozo Shuaibu, Gary, Tafari, Tony Reid
Dancers The company – (MICHAEL SPAULDING, DAVID SUTTON, SHARON STERNE, ANNETTE CROOKS, JULET CODLIN, ELEANOR AYODELE JONES, FITZGERALD ‘CURTIS’ AGARD & PRINCE ‘DAN’ MORGAN)

AGBARA

1992/93

The piece looks at the intoxication of power and the way it has been used and misused in Black societies. ‘AGBARA’ (a Yoruba word meaning power), is itself a very powerful dance evoking the potency of African drumming and dance.

Choreography Peter Badejo
Costumes Marcia Morgan
Music- Drummers Zozo Shuaibu, David Oladunni, Tafari, Tony Reid
Dancers The company – (HUGHIE DONEGAN, OPAL SCOTT, RAYMOND WILKS, MICHAEL SPAULDING, SHARON MATHURIN, LATI, TYRONE CARROLL)

Freedom Suite

1992/93

Explores different themes and aspects of freedom, transformation, exhilaration, pain and joy, spontaneous expression and impressions. Continuing to develop the fusion of the IRIE!’s style the work will take the
audience on a journey of awareness.

Choreography: Albie Ollivierre & Raymond Wilks
Dancers: Sharon Sterne, Latifat Saka, Opal Scott, Tyrone Carroll and Hughie Donegan

The Black Spirit

1992/93

Freedom Suite
Explores different themes and aspects of freedom, transformation, exhilaration, pain and joy, spontaneous expression and impressions. Continuing to develop the fusion of the IRIE!’s style the work will take the audience on a journey of awareness.

Choreography Albie Ollivierre & Raymond Wilks
Dancers Sharon Sterne, Latifat Saka, Opal Scott, Tyrone Carroll and Hughie Donegan

Let Raggae Touch Your Soul

1990/91

Reggae ina ya Jeggae
An appreciation of Reggae music, its history and development. The piece explores Reggae sounds, style, language, fashion and depicts the various characters and personalities. It’s about the power of Reggae and its influence on popular music and dance world-wide.

Choreography Beverley Glean & Prince Morgan
Live Music Tafari Morgan, Karli Messado and Prince Morgan
Music compilation Daddy Frenchie & Mr. Shortie
Costumes Marcia Morgan
Lighting Matt Shadder
Dancers The company – (DALH, ANDREA WHITING, PRINCE ‘DAN’ MORGAN, RAYMOND CHARLES WILKS, MELANIE JOSEPHS, BENJI REID, ALBIE OLLIVIERRE)

War ina Babylon

1990/91

This piece focuses on political strife and gang-warfare in Jamaica. Through the experiences of a couple very much in love, ‘War ina Babylon’ uses reggae music and dance to describe how political violence tragically affects people’s lives.

Choreography Patsy Ricketts
Dancers The Company

Cease ‘N’ Settle

1989/90

A look at street characters and their characteristics. Focusing on certain stereotypes, the piece includes a panorama of movements that will be instantly recognised within the Caribbean culture.

Choreography Beverley Glean and Albie Ollivierre
Original Music Cosmo Ben Imhotep
Lighting Matt Shadder
Costume Karen Martin
Dancers The company – (HUGHIE DONEGAN, PRINCE MORGAN, VALARIE ‘ZANAB’ JAH, SHARON STERNE, PAMELA MAURAGE, ALBIE OLLIVIERRE, RAYMOND WILKS)

Hints of Afrikah

1989/90

This piece embraces all the influences with which IRIE! works. A compilation of Africa, the Caribbean and European movements, accompanied with West African Ju-Ju and Fuji music, dressed with African prints and beading go to make up a celebration of our Afrikan-ness.

Choreographer Beverley Glean
Music Thomas Mapfumo-‘Pafumvu Pa Ruzevha’ & ‘Kwaedza Mu Zimbabwe’
Costumes Marcia Morgan
Lighting Matt Shadder
Dancers The Company

Orfeo – Ina Night Town

1988/89

Adapted from the Greek myth ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ by Edgar White.
To the rhythms of Reggae, Steel-pan and Ska the ambitious young Orfeo returns from the city to his home village for the funeral of his farther. But his arrogant love for a country girl leads to her murder and his decent into the underworld to plead with the ancestors for her life. The company’s first full-length work.

Choreography Beverley Glean
Costumes & Set Karen Martin
Original sound score Mike Rose and Cosmo Ben Imhotep
Dancers The Company-(JEANNETTE BROOKS, SHARON DIXON , HUGHIE DONEGAN, MELANIE JOSEPHS, PRINCE MORGAN, ALBIE OLLIVIERRE, EUSEBIA SUFFREN, RAYMOND CHARLES WILKS)

Hints of Afrikah

1987/1988

This piece embraces all the influences with which IRIE! works. A compilation of Africa, the Caribbean and European movements, accompanied with West African Ju-Ju and Fuji music, dressed with African prints and beading go to make up a celebration of our Afrikan-ness.

Choreographer: Beverley Glean
Music: Thomas Mapfumo-‘Pafumvu Pa Ruzevha’ & ‘Kwaedza Mu Zimbabwe’
Costumes: Marcia Morgan
Lighting: Matt Shadder
Dancers: The Company

Hail

1987/1988

In celebration of the centenary year of the Rt. Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey who has been recognised as the first black man to awaken the dignity of the black race. He is said to have been a descendent of the Maroons, whose inspiration gave birth to the Rastafarian movement. The dance also highlights the “Masumba”, a traditional dance style of the Maroons.

Choreographer Jackie Guy
Music Third World with drum rhythms by Billy Lawrence & Karl Messado
Dancers The Company

Style

1987/1988

Choreography Beverley Glean
Music Grand Master Flash, ‘Style’
Dancers Hughie Donegan, Prince Morgan, Albie Ollivierre, Raymond Wilks & Mary Suffren

Mansongs

1987/19888

Tribute to Bob Marley

Choreography Beverley Glean
Music Bob Marley-Turn your lights down low, Redemption Song, No woman no cry, Johnny was
Dancers The company

Inna Circles

1987/88

Choreography Albie Ollivierre
Music “Inner Circles” – Stevie Wonder
Costumes Jane Coombs
Dancers Pat Banton, Hughie Donegan, Prince Morgan, Latifat Saka, Beverley Jones, Mary Suffren & Raymond Wilks

A Kind of Love

1987/88

Choreography Deirdre Lovell
Costumes Karen Martin
Music Donny Hathaway ‘for all we know’
Dancer Prince
Music Patril Rusten ‘Giving up’
Dancers Pat & Raymond
Music Labelle ‘Going down to the River’
Dancers Beverley Jones , Latifat Saka and Mary Suffren

Danse Caribbean

1986/87

This dance combines a panorama of styles from Quadrille, Burru, Tambo, Juba, Dinki Mini, Mento, Kumina to Jonkunnu and Masquerade, stressing the essential male/female relationships that can be found in most traditional dances of the Caribbean.

Choreography    Jackie Guy
Costumes      karen Martin
Music          Prince Morgan & Desmond Carty
Dancers         The company

Power of Salvation

1986/87

Dance piece to gospel music

Choreography    Pat Banton
Costumes       Niki Childs
Dancers         The company

Dream Girls

1986/87

A work set to music from the original Broadway cast album.

Choreography    Maria Koripas
Costumes      karen Martin
Set             Maria Livings
Dancers        Pat Banton, Mary Suffren, Beverley Jones, Latifat Saka

Reggae Suite

1986/87

A montage of group, duet and solo pieces set to popular reggae music.

Choreography   Beverley Glean
Costumes    karen Martin
Lighting     Jack Linstrum
Sound      Neville Stanbury
Dancers    The company (PAT BANTON, HUGHIE DONEGAN, PRINCE MORGAN, LATIFAT SAKA, BEVERLEY JONES, MARY SUFFREN, ALBIE OLLIVIERRE, RAYMOND WILKS)

Caribbean Suite

1985/86

Commissioned work from Jackie Guy, a selection of traditional Caribbean dances to celebrate the launch of Caribbean Focus.

IRIE! Dance Festival

1985/1986

A celebration of Black dancers and choreographers in London.

Jean ’Binta’ Breeze, Pat Banton, Debbie Baddoo, Deirdre Lovell & Janet Rolle, Jackie Guy, Stewart Thomas, Corinne Bougaard, Sharon Donaldson and many more