EP 67: "Movement Is Life" featuring dancer and artistic director Jamal Jackson

Jamal Jackson was born in Brooklyn, New York and began his formal studies of movement with the Harlem based Batoto Yetu Dance Company. His pursuit of Biology and dance led him to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he received the Weston Award for his contribution to the Fusion Dance Company and New Works/ World Traditions African Dance Company from 1996-2000. Jamal studied with Michelle Bach-Coulibaly, Seydou Coulibaly, and Fred Benjamin and worked under M’ba Coulibaly, Salimata Soumare from Kelete Dance Theatre, and Ba Issa Diallo, director of Troupe District du Bamako in Mali, West Africa. Jamal choreographed for the New York Arts Festival and Inaya Day in 2002, marking the beginning of his African based, modern technique. Jamal performed with Ballet International Africans for two seasons as a principal dancer and in 2004 he founded the Jamal Jackson Dance Company.  Jamal Jackson Dance Company has established a strong presence in and out of New York City, performing year-round in festivals, self-produced shows, community outreach programs and private events. The company’s work has been presented at venues including: Mark Morris Dance Center, Jacob’s Pillow, NYC Summerstage Concert Series, DanceNow Festival, Dance Theater Workshop, Battery Downtown Dance Festival, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Brown University, The Brooklyn Museum, Equality Now’s 20th Anniversary, Big Range Festival in Austin, TX, The Yard in Martha’s Vineyard, MA, Performance Spaces for the 21st Century in Chatham, NY, the GSUSA National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Abundance Festival in Karlstad, Sweden, the 92nd street Y, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Jamal Jackson Dance Company (JJDC) was founded in 2004 with the purpose of fusing various traditional African dance styles with Modern techniques and diverse contemporary music styles in order to create a new, unique technique that is relevant to a multifarious community. The movement and storylines of JJDC choreography focus on redefining ideas of community and blurring divisive lines, while still celebrating the beauty of individual cultures. Jackson has a strong desire to not only entertain and educate an audience, but to pass on dance tradition to people of all ages. Jamal has stressed the importance of education within his work and has helped guide organizations, like the 92nd street Y, as they have expanded their outreach and youth programs. He currently serves on the Board of PS21 Chatham, NY and the Dance Now NYC Advisory Board. Jamal has created a strong outreach program that integrates traditional Malian movement with contemporary dance techniques to impart self-confidence, discipline, and professionalism among our youth. Within the program, students from various backgrounds learn a common dance vocabulary, which enables them to find similarities and differences within their larger community. For more information about this amazing dance company visit www.jamaljacksondancecompany.org.