Jamaican dancer and choreographer Kimiko Miller, more popularly known as Kimiko Versatile, is one of five dancers featured in the Netflix docuseries MOVE which premiered on Friday, October 23. MOVE is a five-chapter docuseries that explores the inspiring journeys of various dancers from different parts of the world. The Jamaican dancer is featured in episode 3.

Kimiko Versatile is credited with spreading the concept of fusing real Jamaican dancehall styles with afro moves. She is a professional dancer, choreographer, dance teacher, dance and movement Coach, a makeup artist, loctician, and a mother.

“The feminist in me was able to express myself as a powerful female and not feeling downgraded from a male perspective.” explained Kimiko Versatile in the introduction to the episode. The episode shows the path that Miller took to becoming an expert in her dance art. It tells the story from where she was born in Discovery bayu St. Ann right into her adult life. Aside from dance, it tells a story of her passion for the art, struggles, pain, and the communities that helped to mold her.

“The directors really explored the depths of my life; from growing up without a father, my mom having to migrate to seek a better life for us and pursuing dance, those personal aspects of my life. Then from studio to street. It makes me very emotional to watch it,” posited Miller during an interview with The Gleaner. MOVE was produced and directed by French filmmakers Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai but presented in English.

The series is conveyed naturally and raw with regards to integrating each dancers cultural environment.

 

“When I looked outside my house, on the first day of recording, seeing the crew and equipment ready to come into my yard … to show the world my life, that is when it hit me. I said to myself, ‘Wow, I am actually doing this’,” Miller shared in the interview.

MOVE is detailed and entertaining as Kimiko Versatile takes the film crew to dance rehearsals, through innercity communities of Jamaica to get a first-hand look at a dance clash between her dance crew and dancers from another Jamaican dance team, Sopreme Blazzaz.

MOVE features the biographies of 4 other dancers: founders of Movement Art Is (MAI) Jon Boogz and Lil Buck from the United States; Israeli ‘Gaga’ dance concept creator, Ohad Naharin; avant-garde flamenco star Israel Galván form Spain; and United Kingdom-based choreographer of Bangladeshi descent, Akram Khan.

Kimiko name was given to her by her father who is a Reggae musican and used to travel the world sharing his music. Her which is Japanese means ‘Righteousness “. Miller has worked on the choreography for music videos for Abby Dallas, Diana King, Razor B, D’Angel, and Rre. She also worked on events like Reggae Sumfest, Jazz and Blues, Sting, and Fun In The Sun.

Kimiko believes that she has broken boundaries and has live up to the title versatile.

 

 

 

Links and references

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20201027/kimiko-millers-netflix-move-docuseries-captures-dancers-life-studio

 

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