Use performing arts for powerful messages
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Use performing arts for powerful messages
- education official
Stabroek News
February 18, 2000
A senior education official is calling on schools to use the performing arts during the Children's Mashramani celebrations to send powerful messages about social ills affecting children and how they could be addressed.
Deputy Chief Education Officer, with responsibility for development, Genevieve Whyte-Nedd, in a brief address at the opening of the Children's Mashramani Competitions at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) Wednesday said that in celebrating Mashramani the opportunity should be utilised to send out powerful messages which address issues such as child abuse, AIDS and teenage suicide. Declaring the four-day children's activities open, Whyte-Nedd congratulated the administrators in the Allied Arts Unit of the Ministry of Education for the part they have been playing as well as others who are in supporting roles.
The opening ceremony also featured a dance performance by the Head Start Nursery School which won the nursery group competition in the Georgetown dance competition.
The finals of the Children's Mashramani Competitions got into high gear with the dance and masquerade competitions on Wednesday displaying a high standard of performance.
The show on stage was, however, marred by the uncouth behaviour of many students who arrived at the NCC without their teachers, forced open the doors to the lobby and invaded the auditorium.
In spite of constant appeals by the organisers not to take food into the auditorium, it was evident that the appeals were ignored as sanitary cups and food boxes littered the floor.
North Georgetown Secondary was clearly the winning school copping three first places - two in the group dance category and one in masquerade. This school which has ruled the roost over the past five years in the dance category has been hard to dethrone in the 11-13 and 14-17 age-group dances. The school also won the first prize in the 14-17 group masquerade.
In previous years Region Ten gave Georgetown intense competition in the dance category, but this year the Capital carted off all of the first prizes in the various dance categories.
In the 5-7 (individual) Collet Marks of St Agnes Primary of Georgetown, featuring 'Mash in 2000', won the first prize. She was followed by Seanna Sealey of Watooka Day Primary of Region Ten with `Inspiration' and Ronella Watson of Nismes Primary of Region Three who placed third with `African Beliefs'. In the 5-7 (group) St Andrews Primary of Georgetown placed first with `Fusion' beating rivals `Spanish Mood' presented by Regma Primary of Region Ten into second place. Cornelia Ida Primary of Region Three was third with `Party Time'.
In the 8-10 (individual) Ronellia Woseley of St Agnes Primary took the first place with `African Vibes'; Bhooma Singh of Suddie Primary in Region Two was second with `Mash Time' and Raquel Scipio of Coomacka Primary in Region Ten was third. In the 8-10 (group) Winfer Gardens of Georgetown with `The Rackers' took first place, Hopetown Primary of Region Five was second with 'Yesterday' and St Anthony's Primary of Region Seven, depicting `Living Youthfully - AIDS Free' was third.
Sadhanna Samtani of St Joseph's High of Georgetown secured the first spot with 'Love Connection' in the 11-13 (individual), while Cindy Sookdeo of Bath Primary in Region Five was second with `Indian Dance'. Malini Marks of Vreed-en-Hoop Community High in Region Three was third with `Spilling Unity'. In the 11-13 (group) North Georgetown Secondary `Culturepot' was first; Bartica Secondary `United as One' took second and Regma Primary `Survival' placed third.
Jerusha Dos Santos of Bishops' High School of Georgetown took the first place in the 14-17 (individual) with `Cry my Youth'. She was followed by Remona Williams of New Silver City of Region Ten who performed `Broken Soul' while Patricia Sim of Anna Regina Secondary in Region Two did `Let's do the twist'. In the 14-17 (group) North Georgetown Secondary `Impact' secured first; President's College took second with `Liberation' and New Silver City Secondary was third with `An Awakening'.
In the masquerade 5-7 years individual and group categories only one entry each was submitted, both coming from Mackenzie Primary.
In the 8-10 (individual) masquerade flouncing Delon Thomas of Malgre Tout Primary in Region Three was first and Telson Carto of Mackenzie Primary was second. In the masquerade 8-10 years (group) Clonbrook Primary in Region Four was first followed by Mackenzie Primary.
In the masquerade 11-13 (individual) Kwami Franklin of St Andrew's Primary took the first place, Kemella Wharton was second and Mackenzie Primary third. In the 11-13 masquerade (group) Beterverwagting in Region Four was first and Abram Zuil Secondary in Region Two was second.
In the masquerade 14-17 (individual) Jermaine Garette of Wales Community High School was first; Kevin Fox of Beterverwagting Primary was second and Natasha Peters of Johanna Cecilia Community High School was third. In 14-17 (group) North Georgetown Secondary copped the first place, One Mile Primary of Region Ten took second place and Johanna Cecilia, third. (Miranda La Rose)
