Kingston, Jamaica - The local Deaf community will once again have the opportunity to showcase its talents at the annual Deaf Dance Competition, organized by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). This year’s highly anticipated event will take place on Friday, May 16, at the Bert Rose Studio Theatre, located at the School of Dance, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in St. Andrew. The showcase is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.
First introduced in 2006, the competition is designed to raise awareness within the Deaf community about various dance forms. It also aims to build self-confidence among performers with special needs, while promoting rhythm development, creative expression, and non-verbal communication through movement.
Patrick Earle, Dance Development Specialist at the JCDC, expressed excitement about this year’s event, noting that it promises to be both inspiring and entertaining.
“At the core of our human abilities is the power of the body as an instrument for connection and communication—especially through the universal language of dance. This aspect of our work brings a unique kind of fulfillment,” Earle stated.
“Watching the performers grow in confidence and take the stage with pride is always deeply gratifying. We at the JCDC are especially excited about this year’s Deaf Dance Programme, which will feature 14 dance performances from three institutions: the Danny Williams School for the Deaf, the Abilities Foundation, and the McKie Dance Company. Each performance brings its own energy, contributing to a rich and dynamic showcase.”
This year’s performances will span a diverse range of categories, including Movement and Music, Jamaican Popular Dance, Other Popular Dance, Praise Dance, Jamaican Creative Folk Dance, and Dance Skit. In addition to the group performances, the audience can also look forward to a duet, a trio, and a male solo, adding even more variety and depth to the showcase.
The competition is open to members of the Deaf community aged four and older, who are currently enrolled in nationally accredited institutions for the Deaf. Participants are grouped based on their age as of September 1 in the academic year of the competition.
This event is a part of the 2025 National Festival of the Performing Arts, which began earlier this year with island-wide auditions and parish finals in Speech, Drama, Traditional Folk Forms, Music, and Dance. Highest gold medalists from the parish level competed at the National Finals held at the Little Theatre in St. Andrew.
