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11 make Inaugural Miss Region 3 Shortlist – Pageant set for December 21

Delegates for Miss Guyana Region 3 Pageant

After tedious assessing of applications and interviews the Miss Region 3 committee has arrived at a shortlist of 11 beauties who shall contest the coveted title for a chance to take home in excess of $800,000 in cash and prizes.

The training and grooming of the delegates has started under the guidance of Classique dancer Paul Charles and efforts are in train to have the delegates sponsored. The saching ceremony is set for Tuesday at the Aracari Resort. It is the delegates have joined the pageant with the main purpose of winning the pageant and ultimately entering the Miss Guyana Universe or Miss Guyana World pageant to prove that Guyana also has beauty ambassadors who are capable from Region 3.
Aged 17-25 they describe themselves as pretty, intelligent, outgoing and having the drive to be a beauty ambassador. They all hail from region3 and answered the call for the opportunity to shine, win fabulous prizes valued at more than $800,000.

The road to the staging of the first Miss Guyana region 3 pageant started several weeks ago under the stewardship of Extreme Entertainment headed by businessman Terrence Evans of number one canal. His team includes Onetta Chisholm Administrator, Classique ace dancer Paul Charles who is the artistic director and Stefan Granville and another businessman. “Our aim is to find that one young lady from one of the many villages in region three and motivate her to pursue her dreams to hopefully be a true region three representative at any of the national pageants while rewarding her with lucrative prizes at the same time, says Charles.
Explaining the rationale Evans says he is investing in excess of $2.5m because he is sure that region 3 has beautiful, talented and educated enough women who also should be recognized and possibly groomed into being a national representative at the two main local pageants to win and be a Guyanease beauty ambassador Internationally. “We have found 11 beauties who have began to go through their paces with Mr.Charles to compete for the title because too often we see women from other parts of Guyana winning pageants and region 3 is not represented. We want to change that while bringing some entertainment to the region and if all goes well we will make this an annual affair so that other regions can join the train to take pageantry to the next level where each region would want to have their best beauty ambassador step up to the plate and have a real national pageant to select Guyana’s best to the international arena.”
For further information persons can also contact the Artistic director Mr. Charles on 6632750 or Mr. Terrence on 6936748. The team is specific in stating that this is a serious venture that would see the young women being respected, trained and celebrated and they are specific in stating that parents have no need not fear anyone on the committee with their daughters for this life changing opportunity to be the Miss Guyana Region 3 Queen as all involved have integrity.

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Classique Dance Company: Dance Like You Do 8

Dance Like You 8 Poster
Dance Like You 8 Poster

It has been a while since I’ve gone to a dance show, so when I heard of Classique’s latest show themed “Dance Like You Do- Dancehall Vibes” featuring Nadata, winner of the HJTV Feel The Beat Competition,  I just knew that it was a show I had to be at. My love for dancing and dancehall aside, I just needed something different to do with my girlfriends on a Saturday night. Ha!

The show was held at the National Cultural Centre and like all Classique shows it was attended by a large number of persons. The show though dubbed “Dancehall Vibes” featured in the first half a collection of African dances, each depicting African struggles over the years. The dancers were able to display through these dances their creativity and passion for the art. Also they expertly depicted the blood, sweat and tears of African hardships. The choreographies were profound and moving. The dancers, both males and females were masterful in their techniques, lines and all.

However, in my humble opinion more work has to be done when it comes to maintaining coordination.

In one of the all male dances, the men got very sensual showing their six packs and gyrating like there was no tomorrow. They were dancing to “You Give Me Fever”, during the song they walked into the audience and selected the newly crowned Miss Guyana Jamzone, Ayanna Harris, took her on staged, seated her and then all of them decided to give her a lap dance. Ohhhh Dearrrrrr!!!! She was the luckiest lady of the evening.

I was a bit disappointed that the show wasn’t entirely dancehall, but on second thoughts I’m very happy to have been exposed to that side and style of dance from Classique.

In between parts there was a 15 minutes intermission that lasted for close to 30 minutes. For a minute, the patrons thought that they had forgotten us and started to clap in a bid to hurry things up.

Eventually, and somewhat secretly, we were transported from Africa to Jamaica. The second part opened with a female doctor telling her husband that she would not be coming home tonight because there was a very serious accident and she was needed at the hospital. But really there was no accident, she was not needed at the hospital, she just needed to turn from doctor to dancehall queen and go to “Club Tun Up” with her friends (credit fuda). Her husband, understood perfectly and wished her well, because he too needed to be away to spend time with his girlfriend on the side.

The entire second half took place in “Club Tun Up”. The waiters in preparing to open the club opened with the first dancehall piece and as the club got packed, we moved from one dance to the next. The Club in its washroom area had three signs that read – ‘male’, ‘female’ and ‘other’, so I found it rather confusing every time the owner of the club refused to allow the ‘other’ in the club. The ‘other’ or I should correctly say the person that played the role of the homosexual was one of the highlights of the evening with his moves and antics. The doctor/dancehall queen and her husband’s girlfriend met in the club and a brawl –in dance- started. The second half was very unique and exhilarating to look at. Persons were literally at the edge of their seat waiting to see what would happen next.

The huge shocker came when the husband came into the club and the ladies – in full wifey vs. matey style – started to fight – in dance – wig pulling off and all. The husband completely forgot that the two ladies existed when he laid eyes on ‘the other’. That half and ultimately the show ended with them (the husband and the ‘other’) holding hands and skipping around to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

What an end to the show, the crowd went crazy!!

It was an excellent show in my view. The Classique Dance Company is on their way to becoming the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre of Guyana (…eventually).

By Slimchick

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Scandalous out of the Box

Classique Dance Company turns 10

The fluidity of movements, the effortless grace with confidence and physical assertive gait sets a dancer apart from the crowd and it seems that Classique Dance Company has all the right moves to deliver three on stage full length Dance productions annually.

‘Colour of La dance’ is set for April, ‘Dance like you do’ is set for September and ‘A Classique Christmas’ crown off the works of the company  each December.

The women took on the men in a ‘battle of the sexes’ in 2009 and now all roads lead to the National Cultural Centre on April 16 and 17 when Classique Dance company will again offer much high energy, emotional and sometimes comical technique filled dance pieces for Scandalous.

The dance company headed by Director, Choreographer and CEO Clive Prowel is celebrating its 10th anniversary with “Color of La Dance” under the theme ‘Scandalous’.

“Guyanese are accustomed to experiencing dance concerts but that’s what we aim to change as we continue to strive for excellence in our productions”.

He said that Scandalous will see more than 62 dancers walking the edge this time around,” Prowel assures. He said those who have seen Colour of La Dance productions over the years can attest that we always up our production a notch hence our ever growing audience. Last year the group staged battle of the sexes

He said this time around the production can easily be placed in a Broadway like status where the dancers offer their version of ‘Lion King’ full of Disney characters. “We will be staging a matinee show on the 16 where that part will be showcased for primary school children through sponsorship from companies but on the 17 the show will feature two parts”.

The latter half of the show will bring out the full scandal where one can expect anything in dance bordering on erotic but tasteful sensuality Prowell promised. The Lion King version of the show will feature dancers from the  Classique preliminary classes age 4½ to 7, intermediate A and B and the advance classes as well as the dance company.

The latter half of the show will feature advanced dancers and doing presentations that will ensure that tongues will wag long after the show.

The Classique Dance Company is one of Guyana’s most successful and popular contemporary dance companies. Founded in 2000 by dancer and choreographer Clive Prowell, the company’s mission has been to empower young people through dance and creative collaboration in the performing arts, building self-esteem and inspiring self-expression.

Well travelled nationally, Classique Dance Company has performed for many sold out audiences and has built a loyal audience base receiving many accolades its kinetic, high-energy performances, technical acuity, and generous personality.

Classique’s continued success can be directly attributed to the calibre of training the dancers undergo which consists of intensive routines in various distinct dance techniques by nationally renowned teachers.

Its members participate regularly in dance experiences through which the instructors promote self confidence, poise; personal achievement and pure love for dance and artistic expression.

Since its inception, the Classique Dance Company has received much acclamation and its CEO assures that he remains committed to building a reputable dance company by steadily developing works that can be easily recognized as Classique Productions.

Classique is striving to become Guyana’s premier dance company and develop an audience that will recognize, appreciate, and support contemporary dance.

It is also seeking to remain artistically subtle by working with noted choreographers, attending dance festivals, forging collaborations with other artists, and teaching classes.

In addition to its own artistic endeavours, Classique is committed to ensuring that future generations of students have the opportunity to experience the arts as an essential part of their education.

Prowell on dance said dancers stand out even while simply walking.

For more information Te1:625-06991666-8666 Email: cliveprowellavahoo.

By Mondale Smith