Today the nation’s children representing the ten regional education districts as well as Georgetown will take on each other in Calypso and dramatic poetry. Much sis expected as they focus on social commentary and youth issues through pieces penned by themselves, their teachers and their parents.
But thus far Georgetown is the district to beat following the education district’s win of most of the top spots in the dance competition staged yesterday while region 10 was the best at Masquerade.
The colour and energy was at an all-time competitive high especially for the dance segment that focussed on themes of Religious Belief, Interpretive and Legends and traditions.
The support was obvious from the screams that came in wild abandon every time the name of a Georgetown school introduced a performance and the screams were sustained even to the end of each performance.
The various entries that put Georgetown above the other education districts yesterday included the children’s age group 5-7 age groups dance category in which St Margaret’s Primary offered a cute and convicting ‘Praise Him’ routine in the religious Belief category. They beat Region 10’s Regma Primary’s ‘Butterflies Paradise’ and Region 3’s Malgretout primary ‘Pressing forward with perseverance and endurance’ which placed second and third respectively.
Georgetown’s second win was through St Margaret’s primary this time in the 8-10 age group segment with the inspirational ‘Light to the world’ item that offered hope in choreographed moves to the soul searching “carry your candle,” gospel song.
Region four ‘Humble worship’ placed second while Region three’s display to Michael Jackson’s ‘earth song’ landed them in the third spot.
Georgetown was again number one in the 11-13 individual dance category through St Margaret student Karisha Charles religious belief dance that sent the cultural centre into thunderous applauses and her tool Whitney Houston’s competitive “I look to you” hit.
Pujah Boodoo of region two ‘mother of light’ came in second.
While Regma Primary’s total eclipse of the heart battle of Love was a crowd favourite that got standing ovations, it was Georgetown through Richard Ishmael secondary ‘African Vibrations’ that won the Legends and Traditions showcase in the 11-13 age group dance category.
Georgetown ruled over regions 4 and 2 in the 14-17 age group individual dance and the star was Shaquila Hollingsworth of Totorial High school who’s showcase sent a message that despite your situation ‘God is the answer.’
Georgetown also won the Group category of the 14-17 age group competition with a high energy performance that featured Soca sensation Jumo singing live to their ‘Culture Overload.’
Masquerade in peril
But while the dance routines showcase that much more time was spent on choreography and for a greater part on costumes if yesterday’s showcases are anything to go by then masquerade is heading towards extinction.
In the masquerade competitions save for a few the flouncers and bands for the most part lacked most of the steps of traditional masquerading and in most cases too, the costumes did not bring out the colourful showcases normally associated with the art form. But in the end Alistair Thomas of Region 2 flounced his way into the top spot as the better of the two entries in 5-7 age group. Mackenzie primary student Shamiah Ennis was the other contender while in the 5-7 Band category region 10 was the only entrant.
Region four through Clonbrook Primary student Andre Toney got sweet revenge in the 8-10 individual masquerade category with the Jolly flouncer. Regma Primary student Joy Hinds of region ten settled for second while Georgetown settled for third through North Ruimveldt student Anthony Pitt who flounced as a northern reveller.
Amidst the heated competition there were some entertaining moments such as the mad cow dancer from Aurora primary who had to do his manoeuvres amidst grabbing his pants waist to ensure that his pants did not fall to his ankles. But in the end it was Region five’s Mahaicony ‘Primary Joy’ ride showcase that won the 8-10 age group Masquerade Band category over region 4 and 3.
Another top performer in the Masquerade competition was Aurora Secondary Student Ricardo Gordon who copped the top spot for region two in the 11-13 individual flouncing category. Region 10 ruled the 11-13 band masquerade competition over Georgetown.
The day’s competition concluded with the individual and group masquerade competitions that saw Linden copping the two top spots in both categories. Domanique Babb stand tall for his Mackenzie High while New Silver City showed that they got flounce above Georgetown’s offerings.
By Mondale Smith
Sibling duo Joel and Angelina Browne amidst the negativity that surrounds youth, are proving that there is still promise. Pursuing higher education in the USA at age 23 and 17 respectively, the former St Rose’s and Queen’s College students have embarked on a musical quest to take the gospel from a Guyanese perspective to the world.
No, we’re not kidding. Bourda market has its own queen; yes, the Bourda market downtown.
Save for Shakira Baksh copping the 2nd runner up position in the Miss World pageant in 1967, Guyana is yet to field a beauty ambassador who make it to the top twenty line up of any international pageant.