Educated at the College of Arts, Science and Technology in Personnel Management, Industrial Psychology and Accountancy, Jackie got his early dance training from Alma Mockyen Tutor, Artistic director, Choreographer and broadcaster of Harbour View Dance Company. He further developed in dance education at the Jamaica School of Dance where he excelled in World History of Dance; Dance Techniques, Choreography, Traditional Dance and Music, Anatomy and Physiology. Mr. Guy is a former Principal Dancer of the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica; Artistic co-ordinator for Movements Dance Company of Jamaica, and Tutor/Artistic Director for the University of the West Indies Dance Society.
Using dance as therapy, Jackie extended his creative skills working with the Jamaica Social Development Commission catering for youths in prisons; remand centres, community centres and youth clubs in poor and inner cities areas. The knowledge and experience gained was to serve him well when he relocated to England in 1987.
Subsequently, Jackie was appointed Artistic co-ordinator to plan and developed the curriculum for the second summer school organised by the Black Dance Development Trust under the directorship of Bob Ramdhanie. In 1988 he was appointed Artistic Director of Kokuma Dance Theatre Company in Lozells, Birmingham. Given the mandate to take the company to full professional status, Jackie assumed the herculean task during an extraordinarily difficult period of the Company’s developmental stage. This resulted in significant funding from the Arts Council of England, Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Arts.
Under Jackie’s artistic vision and guidance, Kokuma Dance Theatre not only won the Black Dance awards for Outstanding Choreography and Production, and the Prudential Commendation Award for Excellence, Innovation, Creativity and Accessibility, but was regarded as the “Brightest Jewel in Birmingham’s Crown” by the Observer newspaper in 1989.
During Jackie’s artistic directorship, he employed graduate dancers from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance at a time when a host of black dancers were unemployed. He felt education and training were necessary for the longevity and sustaining of the Company’s profile, since, at that time Afro-Caribbean dance was still struggling for recognition in Britain.
In 1995 he left kokuma to do comparative research and analysis on Caribbean dance aesthetics and interfaced with other dance genres, and in 1998 Jackie was appointed Course Coordinator for Britain’s first and only Diploma course in African and Caribbean Dance, accredited by Birkbeck College, University of London. This groundbreaking course is managed by IRIE! Dance Theatre.
Jackie is well known and respected for his highly creative approach to community dance projects, including those he led in Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Swindon and London. He brings a wealth of experience, a wide knowledge and access to information about his work that inspires all participants, whatever their cultural backgrounds. In his classes, Jackie balances his theoretical principles with a practical approach so as to enable participants to experience the dance form and at the same time learn it’s socio-cultural dynamics.
Jackie has been the recipient of many Certificates and Awards for outstanding contribution to Dance both nationally and internationally.
As tutor/lecturer and choreographer, he has worked with Birmingham Royal Ballet Education Department, BBC Philharmonic (Manchester) Education Department, ACT Theatre Company, Talawa Theatre Company, IRIE! Dance theatre, Royal Festival Hall, and a host of Colleges and Universities throughout Britain and the United States of America. His work as dancer and choreographer has taken him throughout Europe, Africa, Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Jackie Guy continues to hone his professional skills as a choreographer, tutor/lecturer and cultural archivist, reaching out to a wide and culturally diverse community. His work remains inspiring, grounded in a rich Caribbean cultural tradition and immensely accessible.