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L'Acadco:
A United Caribbean Dance Force

The Shining Star in Every Arena

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About Us

Industry-Leading Dance Company in the Caribbean

L’ACADCO – A United Caribbean Dance Force, is widely regarded as Jamaica's leading contemporary dance company. The Company’s membership has included dancers from Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Bermuda, Cuba, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. These talented dancers represent the best in the Caribbean. In 1978, Jamaican dancer and choreographer, Dr. L’Antoinette Stines, founded Miami’s first Black dance company, L’ACADCO. Returning to Jamaica in 1982 she continued to grow with her company and together they have become dynamic ambassadors for Jamaican culture, through dance, and advocates for its preservation and development.

About Us

Our Mission

To employ dance as a teaching instrument, ensuring growth and development for members of our immediate and wider communities. To promote identity specificity in dance. To present excellent performances both nationally and internationally at events representing Jamaica and the Caribbean. To provide both theoretical and practical training focusing on inclusion of marginalized students with the intention of preparing them towards viable professions in the performing arts as practitioners and teachers. To be the shining star in every arena and most important to BUILD BRIDGES THROUGH THE ARTS PRESENTING THE HOLISTIC BEAUTY OF JAMAICA AS SPIRIT MIND AND BODY IN ONE HARMONY KNOWING THAT DANCE IS FROM A SPIRITUAL SPACE.

L'Antech

We are L'Antech

L'antech is an eclectic Caribbean contemporary technique (CARIMOD), which synthesizes African influences, Caribbean Folklore and is dominated by Jamaican Afro-Caribbean forms.

Due to the fact that this technique is the synerbridging of opposing and similar retention from the Caribbean and European terpsichorean material  it therefore has the base and stabilizing elements of classical ballet and material.

L'antech teaches the body unity of Body, Mind and Spirit - thus making it very distinctive.

Photos taken by Dash Productions

Artistic Director

Our Artistic Director

Dr. L’Antoinette Stines is a dancer, choreographer, actress, teacher/lecturer, administrator, author and visionary. Creator of L’Antech, a modern contemporary Caribbean Dance Technique, Dr. Stines continues to impact on the direction and future of Caribbean dance. Dr. Stines has a long and varied performing history, which ranges from classical ballet to Yoruba “Orisha” dance. Her dance career began in Jamaica with Alma Mok Yen, continued to the Martha Graham School and finally through to Pepsi Bethel Authentic Jazz Dance Company  and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Regarded as an expert in popular, folkloric Jamaican dance and the development of contemporary dance, Dr. Stines has lectured in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and North and South America.

Using L’ACADCO as her canvas, Dr. Stines’ choreographic work is inspired by the virility of her island’s culture and ancestry, the sensuality of its people and the natural mystic in the air. 

Photos taken by Dash Productions

L'Antech
L'Antech
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Photo taken by Jik-Reuben/Nickii Kane

Company

Meet The Company

The team of dancers, drummers, and moko- jumbie (stilt walkers) at L'Acadco work hard in order to produce compelling performances for international audiences. We wouldn’t be where we are today if not for their amazing talent and hard work. These are the faces behind the one of the top dance companies in the Caribbean.

Photos taken by Dash Productions

L'Acadco presents "Divine Unity" Choreographed by Dr. L'Antoinette Stines
L'Acadco

Photos taken by Renee McDconald

Drummers

Drum XPLOSION

L’Acadco Drummers has been around the dance company since 1986. Starting with Carl Messado, whom is considered the “godfather” of all L’Acadco Drummers past and present and having being the first Musical Director of the company Binghi was brought to the stage and that was the first dance the company had being done with drums. As years rolled by, other musicians stopped by, leaving their insignia that will be timeless and help in building the repertoire of the company. Ras Happa’s era came along after Messado and developed rhythm for one of L’Acadco’s trademark dances entitled “Honfour of the Drums”. This dance was a high energy filled dance that challenged the stamina of any drummer who would play, whether Djembe, Bass, Conga or other associated instruments. Following the foot-steps of Ras Happa is Aaron Vereen who turned up the heat on drummers adding another level to the foundation set by Messado. Aaron brought his knowledge of traditional African drums from the Volta Region in Ghana after studying there for approximately 3 years and also added a name for the drummers dubbed “L’Acadco Drum Xplosion” and is still used today.

Photos taken by Dash Productions and Renee McDconald