Meet the Dancers: Keenan Fletcher’s Journey Across Continents
From Saint Louis Dance Theatre's "Meet the Dancers" series.
From Kingston to Glasgow to St. Louis, Keenan Fletcher has danced his way across continents. Now in his third season with Saint Louis Dance Theatre, this Jamaican-born artist brings a global perspective and an infectious love for movement to every performance. We caught up with Keenan to talk about family, favorite works, and why he can't pick just one dance style.
What love language matters most to you?
Quality Time, hands down. I used to think that I didn't need community, but moving away from my family and getting older made me realize that I most certainly need it. We are not on this earth forever and I think it's important to cherish the moments we can enjoy. I don't always need to be doing much, but just to spend time with people I care about is always great.
Do you have a favorite style of dance?
It's hard to say I have a favorite because I love and appreciate them all—from Ballet to Contemporary to Dancehall to Reggae to Hip Hop to West African. All of them have made me who I am, and choosing one would be like choosing which limb on my body I like best.
Which piece in STLDT's repertoire has been most meaningful to you?
One would be Sechs Tänze (Six Dances) by Jiří Kylián. I really found myself connecting the most to Jiří Kylián work because of his precision, complex partnering and his storytelling. Another would be any and all of Kirven's work. I am so grateful to have a wonderful choreographer who is also my artistic director because it's not a given! Helping to bring his works to life has been a great experience and especially challenging and rewarding.
What influences you as an artist?
My family is a massive inspiration to me as a person and artist. They honestly keep my heart fed so I can give—whether it's teaching or performing. I also love watching movies—for entertainment and research. I try to observe at times for the physicality of actors such as Jim Carrey and Rowan Atkinson as well as shot composition and storylines of the movies.
Which do you find more challenging: the mental demands or the physical demands?
For me it's often the physical demands. Yes, there are days when I don't feel like dancing. I am not a dancer that likes to “mark” because I learn by doing, and that comes with a price of being sore all the time. But I know that's a massive part of the job that I also find interesting—where you understand your body to another level.
What's the best advice you've received?
You have more time than you think you do.
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