The?future?stars?of Barbados entertainment were out in full force as the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts’ (NIFCA)?penultimate night for the 2012 semi-finals played out at Combermere School on Monday.
As becoming customary with the festival, many of the participants showed their versatility by entering more than one discipline underscoring the ability of the entrants. The disciplines were music, drama/speech and dance.
St George Primary School was prolific in the area of drama/speech. Their pieces included I Am A Bajan, An Ode To Reading and A Tribute To Jeannette Layne-Clark, one of the brains behind NIFCA. They generated lots of laughter during a Layne-Clark skit that spoke about Bajans who went to funerals and did not know who had died.
Ronald Bullen was a busy man as he directed four of the primary school choirs – St Lukes Brighton, St Giles Primary, Charles F. Broomes and Sharon Primary. His work paid off as each act received thunderous applause.
Some extra credit should be given to Charles F. Broomes for their interpretation of the popular song Flying Free. They would have also scored well in diction, presentation and breathing technique. Â
Charika Pilgrim, in the discipline of drama/speech, sent a strong message about domestic violence in Violated. She exuded lots of emotion as she relived witnessing domestic violence within her home that resulted in her mother’s death at the hands of her father.
So impactful was her performance that there was a sustained hush in the hall among the audience as they soaked up every aspect of Pilgrim’s powerful performance inspite of its length.
The Ellerslie School Choir was also exceptional as it rendered a gospel piece entitled My Life, My Love, My All. The group, under the direction of Lennox Boyce, thrilled the audience with its well trained voices. Their performance was a credit to the music programme at the school.
Wayne Harewood, who is no stranger to the stage and NIFCA, did a touching piece called Reflections. This contribution traced the life of a youngster who fell victim to crime that landed him in jail for 15 years. This gave him lots of time to reflect on his life.
Harewood’s piece also sent a warning to the youth not to end up like “him” but to follow good examples and stay away from bad company.
New Creation Ministries’ dramatic group depicted the forces of good and evil in its presentation called Dancing With The Enemy. It promised that despite one’s bad choices, help would come as long as “you call for the help of Jesus he will deliver you”. Â
Another good contribution came from Tricia Maynard. She encouraged the audience through her song Gotta Be that ya gotta be strong, tough, you gotta be wise and love will save the day.
She was followed by Nicole Murray, who sang The Lord’s Year. Her strong points were use of stage, clear diction and interpretation. (RL/JS)
