Christ Church Foundation School Steel Orchestra, Graydon Sealy Performing Arts Ensemble, Rashida Applewhaite and Charles F. Broome Primary School pupil Serayah Weekes were arguably the most exciting performers at the final NIFCA Performing Arts Finals on Monday night.
Christ Church Foundation Steel Orchestra opened the show at Frank Collymore Hall with two exhilarating performances of De General and 246 in what could earn them more NIFCA Gold Awards and special prizes. The spontaneous and tumultuous applause they received from the delighted audience is customary as their performance is always a show.
With their director Lowrey Worrell out front, they jumped, danced, some played each other’s instruments never losing a beat, they raised their hands, raised flags during 246. It was something to see and hear as they filled the Hall with the fulsomeness of their sound.
Both of the entries from the Graydon Sealy Performing Arts Ensemble were well done. The first, a dub poem titled Dat Iz A Bajan Saying highlighted all that was good about Bajan dialect and why it should be spoken, but it was their choral-speaking piece The Grooming Policy that was topical, hard-hitting, thoughtprovoking and impactful. Both were written by theatre arts educator Stephanie Chase.
The latter focuses on the fact that while the average individual may see grooming as dealing with deportment among school students, there was grooming happening in another context such as exposing them to criminal and sexual activities, controlling and manipulating them. The piece highlighted how grooming affects children and could cause them to develop low self-esteem, have difficulty forming healthy relationships and feeling ashamed and guilty because of it.
Ten-year-old Serayah Weekes delivered her Speak Continued on next page. Up and Speak Out rhythm poetry like a seasoned performer. She was engaging as she shared her perspective on the impact of crime and violence on families and called for it to end. She urged fellow young people to make wise choices, not to get involved in crime and walk away for contentious situations. She also called on everyone to do as she does – that is speak up and speak out about unlawful behaviour in Barbados.
Although it was billed as the CIBC Caribbean Juniors Finals, there were four adult music entrants performing in the first half of the show, which was dedicated to music. The second half featured juniors in dance and theatre.
Applewhaite was among the adult entrants. Performing I Dreamed A Dream and Whitney Houston’s One Moment In Time, she really showed off her vocal prowess in her rendition of the latter and had the audience in awe as she hit all the notes effortlessly.
The other adult entrants were Malik Stuart, the winner of this year’s Richard Stoute Over-21 Competition, who sang Stay and Stand By Me; Tarique Griffith, who placed third in that same competition, sang Dance With My Father and Baby; and Shernell Clarke sang In The Nick Of Time, an original reggae gospel song.
They all performed creditably, as did Haynesville Youth Club, who filled the venue with lots of energy as they performed Djembe Extravaganza.
West Terrace Primary School Choir performed their witty original song De Rooster Can’t Crow, which garnered robust applause, as did Christ Church Foundation Pop Band with vocalist Janae Lavia who did Journey.
The dancers were also a delight to watch. In order of appearance there were Powerhouse Academy of the Arts (Beyond Doubt), Springer Memorial School (CARIFESTA), Queen’s College Dance Club (Tribute To Ri Ri: Our Diamond), North Stars Riddim Dancers (Threads Of Hope), Coleridge & Parry School: Riddim Alliance (Sixty) and Dancin’ Africa (Pun De Road).
And, after four nights of some of the best entries this year in music, dance, theatre and mixed discipline facing the respective judges, the curtain came down on this year’s NIFCA Performing Arts.
The NIFCA Gala is slated for later this month.
(GBM)