Reaching out for jobs

Based on Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando, the founder and owner of the Kieron Sargeant Dance and Performing Arts Agency said he did so with the express aim of supporting the continuing development of artistic and cultural efforts of our performing artistes, by facilitating mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships between the public, private and international sectors of the creative arts industry.

“Our agency represents dancers, choreographers, dance educators, theatre practitioners and musicians who are experts in the performing arts and culture of Trinidad and Tobago.

“Choreographers are trained in all genres of dance in both style and conception and they strive to shape their movement and creativity to evolve with the times.” Explaining how his business operates he said: “Usually I am contacted by the agent who is hosting an event and if they need performers for the event I usually will get in contact with persons who are registered with our agency to do the performances.

Each performer is paid according to the nature of the job, and a percentage goes towards the agency. This agency is funded 100 percent by me. The agency has a secretary, business administrator, costume mistress and a chief choreographer which is me. I run the business from home and if I have to do dance choreography for job I usually use my dance studio at work.” He lamented that jobs in the industry are very difficult to get, unless there is an event that requires a performer such as the Soca Monarch, Dimanche Gras, private and public sector functions or an international invitation. Hence, Sargeant set up the agency to assist performing arts artistes who are unemployed and looking for small jobs to assist their needs.

“The only jobs that are available are teaching positions in the Ministry of Education for which some of the persons may not be qualified, but have the God-given talent, and the Trinidad and Tobago Theatre Arts Company. Other than those two entities, artistes in Trinidad and Tobago have to look for private gigs on their own. But because of this agency and my vision, some of them could earn a dollar to provide for their families,” he said.

His aim is to get the agency more out there in the public and push people who do not have a full-time job, to make a dollar.

“It’s all about helping the arts and promoting the culture. My ultimate goal is to partner with the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism, the private and public sectors, and also NGOs to search for jobs for talented artistes of TT , both locally and internationally,” he said. Among the artistes the agency is associated with thus far are choreographers Tevin Kayode Daniel, Chervelle Delecia Williams, Lucette Regis and Julia Le Gendre-Stewart, dancer Akimo Randy Isaiah Sandy, and choreographer/ dancer/performers Priscilla Gueverra, Ana Solis and Jamie Thompson.

“So far the agency has been very successful with overseas jobs in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Barcelona, France, Barbados and St Lucia,” Sargeant said. “This agency allows the world to see our rich folk heritage/ folk dances where we give them a feel of Caribbean flavour.

Many dancers have gotten the opportunity to be a part of this journey to travel abroad.” Sargeant holds a Certificate in Dance and Dance Education, Diploma in Adult Literacy and Design, Diploma in Health and Family Life Education Instruction and Bachelor of the Arts in Dance Education which he obtained from The University of West Indies (UWI). He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Management and Educational Leadership at the UWI. He was accepted at the University of Roehampton in London to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Choreography in 2017.

He has been a choreographer for the 2015 and 2016 Touring UniverSoul Circus based in Atlanta.

He also worked as dancer with the Embacadere Travellers, a choreographer with Barataria Community Council, BonBassa productions and is now the new assistant artistic and dance director of the Malick Folk Performing Company where his talents and skills have been honed and showcased at the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition. He has won numerous prizes for dance at this competition and is the only person in the history of the competition to win the Best Male dance category three years consecutively.

Sargeant has contributed to the dance landscape through the Tobago Heritage Festival, International Dance Day celebrations, San Fernando Arts Festival and the Secondary School Dance Festival, among others. His creative guidance and work has won awards at the San Fernando Junior Arts Festival and Secondary School Dance Festival from 2009-2014.

He was a part of the curriculum team of Ministry of Education and contributed to rewriting the Visual and Performing Syllabus for Dance (2014-2017). For more info: email kieronsargeant1985@gmail.com or www.ksdpaa.com