Patrick Johnson (1995) @ The Pegasus Hotel - Kgn. Jamaica 
Died March 20, 2021

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

There are three (3) dancers in Jamaica that I grew up admiring and have learned a lot from. Barry Moncrieff, Howard Daley and Patrick Johnson. All have contributed to my development in dance and has had some positive influence on the individual I have become. However none have had such great impact on me as much as Patrick Johnson has.

Moncrieff I fondly remember for his subtle sarcastic wit, his gracefulness, physically articulate and unmatched when on staged by any male dancer during his time at the National Dance Theatre Company. I’ve always found his lessons demanding, but as gentle as he was, he was also not accessible. Barry was not an open person. Nor was Howard Daley of La' Cadco Dance company; whom I have had some training with in my formative years. Howard an immigrant to Jamaica, was soft spoken and very thin and incredibly flexible. He was calm, very peaceful. I got to know him more as an activist and founder of Jamaica AIDS Support in the early 90’s.

As incredibly talented as the above two other dance educators were, none of them have had the impact on me as much as Patrick Johnson. He was the dancer I admired most. Lead dancer at Movements Dance Company, which I have been a member of. As graceful as he was, you could not help but criticize the way he carries his broad shoulders. He was much loved, yet one of the most hated dancer in the dance fraternity. He made himself available and not just to dancers, but generous to his audience, to his friends and his family.

I connected with Patrick from my teen years, its because of him, I joined Movements. He taught me to rise above negative feedback, in fact, I have spent a lot of time in his company over the years, so I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned from him. He was sharp, his statements can be biting and sometimes he has no filter. I will miss arguing with him, or him teasing me or keeping me on my guard.

All these Pioneers above were gentlemen, they were kind, peaceful, and spiritual, some were activists for various causes. Most importantly, they have made amazing contribution to the tapestry of dance in Jamaica. We must recognize that we have been blessed by these artists and make every effort to acknowledge their contribution to community dance at home and globally!

I have spent the week feeling various emotions, anger, disappointment and grief seem to be the forefront of how I feel towards the passing of PJ. But I had the opportunity to fulfill his wish and I had the opportunity to return and say thank you to him. Patrick is my Maya Angelou of Dance and I will forever remember you.

I salute you and all the other legends!.