The National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica’s Artistic Director, Marlon D. Simms, will deliver the inaugural Black Dance Lecture on Saturday 27th September from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The free event is being hosted by The Black-E as part of the huge two day African Routes dance festival in Liverpool.
A cultural leader with nearly three decades of service to the Caribbean’s artistic and educational landscape, Simms will explore how the NDTC sustains the roots of African heritage while cultivating bold new blooms in dance and creative expression.
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Appointed Artistic Director of the NDTC in 2018 following the retirement of the late Barry Moncrieffe, Simms has steadily risen through the company’s ranks since joining as a young dancer. He previously served as Associate Artistic Director (2014–2017) and Dance Captain (2009–2013), positions to which he was appointed by NDTC co-founder and former Artistic Director, Professor the Hon. Rex Nettleford.
Simms’ journey into dance began at St. Jago High School, where he emerged as a leading male dancer through the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) Dance Competition. His early promise earned him a scholarship to the School of Dance at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, where he trained under Jamaican dance pioneers Barbara Requa, Sheila Barnett, and Barry Moncrieffe.
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His path to the NDTC opened while at the University of the West Indies Dance Society, when former NDTC Ballet Mistress Arlene Richards invited him to audition for the Company. Renowned for his technical precision, interpretive depth, and sense of purpose, Simms rose swiftly to become one of the NDTC’s leading dancers.
His performances have illuminated many of the Company’s seminal works, including Tintinabulum (1997), Spirits at a Gathering (1995), Ritual of the Sunrise (1998), Gerrehbenta (1983), Dis Poem (1988), Kumina (1971), and Malungu (2013).
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His choreographic voice first emerged in 1999 with Millennial Beings. Following his return from completing a Master of Fine Arts in Choreographic Theory and Practice at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, in 2005, he began to develop an expansive body of work.
Simms has choreographed pieces for the NDTC’s Season of Dance and Morning of Movement and Music, as well as for companies and groups across Jamaica and internationally. His most recent critically acclaimed work, Beres on Love (2016), paid tribute to reggae icon Beres Hammond.
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In addition to his artistry, Simms has traveled and performed widely, from the Caribbean to North and South America, Europe, and beyond. He has also taught and conducted workshops in choreography, technique, and dance education throughout the region, nurturing future generations of dancers and choreographers.
Beyond directing the NDTC, Simms co-produces the Company’s journal, oversees its trainee programme and Education arm, and serves as Dean of the School of Dance at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.
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The upcoming Black Dance Lecture promises a rich exploration of history, identity and innovation in Caribbean dance. With Simms at the helm, it will spotlight how the NDTC continues to honour its African roots while embracing new creative frontiers.
This special showcase is part of African Routes 2025, a landmark programme celebrating African and diasporic heritage. Also featuring at the free two day weekend is a dance masterclass with Michael Jackson and Beyonce’s choreographer LaVelle Smith Jnr, a profound IRIE Dance Theatre performance and many other free events.
Black Dance Lecture with Marlon D Simms / Saturday 27th September, 11.15am / The Black E, 1 Great George Street, Liverpool, L1 5EW
CLICK HERE FOR FREE TICKETS & SELECT THE 10.30AM OPTION
For more information on Africa Routes Festival visit The Black-E’s WEBSITE
