Behind the Smile… ACES dance production sparks conversation on Mental Health

By Klysha Best

A powerful online video about a cheerful football fan who later took his own life was the catalyst for a groundbreaking local dance production that has left audiences reflecting on the hidden struggles many face daily.

This was the defining inspiration for Akeisha Byng-Danzell, artistic director of ACES Dance Academy, whose latest production, ‘Behind The Smile’, coincided with World Mental Health Day to spotlight the pressing mental health issues confronting the nation’s youth. The thought-provoking performances took the stage at Queen’s Hall on October 10 and 11.

“That ending struck me,” Danzell revealed in an interview, reflecting on the video that centred on the hidden pain behind a happy facade. “I assumed the focus was on the friend who looked upset. It had me think about how much we walk around daily hiding behind our smiles. That concept of the ‘mask’ became the heart of everything we wanted to explore.”

Translating this internal, often invisible struggle into physical movement was a profound challenge. Danzell and her choreographic team tackled complex feelings like depression and anxiety by drawing from personal experiences.

“This was definitely a challenge, since we wanted to make sure that our audience was able to understand what was being portrayed on stage,” Danzell explained. “Finding the movement and dance steps to match the emotion came from the heart. If we were not moved by the choreography, then we would change it until it spoke what we wanted to achieve. We had many tearful rehearsals, which gave us that thumbs up!”

‘Behind The Smile’ was a pastiche of diverse dance genres, from the anger and pain expressed through Krumping to the sadness of ballet and the celebratory joy of folk dance. Danzell said this multicultural “language” was intentional.

“For me, each dance style tells a different story,” she said. “Krumping can speak anger or pain; ballet can speak sadness or love. We used the strengths of these dance styles to help tell our story and open doors for the opportunity to start talking about it.”

The production’s impact extended beyond the stage through a partnership with Serenitas Mental Health Services, which offered free anxiety and depression screenings. Danzell was encouraged by the audience’s engagement.

“We found out that our patrons did take up the opportunity to utilise our anxiety and depression screenings during the show,” she noted. “Therefore, I would like to believe collaborating with Serenitas Mental Health Services successfully enhanced our message in a great way!”

For Danzell, true success was not measured in ticket sales, but in the conversations the show ignited.

“The reaction to the show was definitely one of the things that I completely loved!” she said. “We started planning this production with the intentions to start conversations. After the show, people told me about many conversation starters that touched my heart. Some people asked me, ‘Why did you portray me on stage?’… Some did not know how to start difficult conversations with loved ones but because we highlighted it in the show, it gave them an opening. We at ACES Dance Academy consider this a huge success.”

One piece of feedback has stayed with her: “We heard you loud and clear!”

“I think about that comment, and I’m moved emotionally,” Danzell shared. “It gives me hope. I am hopeful that we helped change lives or shift the narrative in a positive way and hopeful that some people may have felt safe enough or brave enough to let down their guard a bit.”

The heavy themes also deeply impacted on the young dancers. Danzell recalled two dancers in a piece about domestic abuse who broke down in tears upon fully realising the reality they were portraying.

“They were not aware that that is a reality to many kids,” she said. “This gave my instructors and me the platform to educate them about these things, as well as being thankful for the type of families they have. Our school is a safe space, and they too become protective of it.”

While the immediate curtain has closed, Danzell hopes the conversation continues. She plans to bring the production to schools and organisations to spread awareness.

“I believe many people should see this show or even parts of it,” she stated. “Our hope is that we are able to perform it for schools and different organisations and help spread awareness or empower others. We are working on that now.”

Reflecting on the journey from the academy’s founding in 2014 to now producing such impactful works, Danzell’s vision is clear.

“I would like our dancers to be able to have a rich learning experience at ACES culturally, physically, mentally and emotionally,” she said. “We trust that the qualities and lessons we strive to teach help prepare our dancers to be a positive influence… We want them to be successful individuals.”

And while ACES will focus on competitions in 2026, the door remains open for more socially conscious art. For Danzell, the drive is simple: “It needs to make sense, and it needs to ‘hit my core’. Dance, for me, is my special way of sharing what I love, and I love using that platform to connect with others.”

Photos courtesy Dirk Allahar, BCreative Designs