Culture

Over 100 benefit from NIFCA training with Danny Hinds

US-based Bajan ace dance instructor Danny Hinds was on island this week to share his expertise with the local dance community.

Hinds was brought in for National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA’s) 50^th anniversary in order to special dance conduct training, thanks to the National Cultural Foundation (NCF). The image of him dancing is on the iconic NIFCA logo.

Hinds conducted three free workshops with close to 125 participants. The junior workshop for dancers with experience was held on Tuesday 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thirty participants between the ages of seven and 15 years old benefitted from the workshop.

The adult workshop for dancers with experience was held from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. with 41 participants. The third workshop was held on Wednesday October 25 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. and this one was open to the general public. This one had 51 participants from ages eight to 60.

Dancers, dance teachers and dance administrators from all ages and generations came out to have class with Baba Hinds. The class had dancers from ages 16 to 66 including our Chief Coach of NIFCA Dance Geraldine Lynch who he taught from the age of eight years old. Also members of his former dance group Sankofa were in attendance.

Coordinators and lecturers from both the Barbados Community College (BCC) Dance programme and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Dance programme also took this class.

In each class “Baba Hinds” taught West African Kuku and Sinte along with Afro Caribbean Dance, educating the participant in the correct posture, teaching various movements and sequences. He also taught the history of each style of dance and the connection of these dances to us as a Caribbean people. Participants were treated to Traditional movements as well as movements created by Baba Hinds. Baba as they were taught is a term of respect for our male elders.

Hinds is Cultural Arts Director and Teacher with ACCPA K-8 for the Kansas City School District, KCMO. He is also founder and director of Art In Motion Blkdance School of Dance Kansas City Missouri.

He has worked as Assistant Director with Najwa Dance Corps, and Christian Community Services, he also worked as Social Reform Arts Consultant with Bobby E. Wright Mental Health Foundation, and Dance Education teacher with Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, Illinois.

Before he migrated Danny made an indelible mark in the local dance fraternity working with Haynesville Youth Club, Bim International Performing Arts Ensemble, S.E.I.T.U Production School of dance, he served as Cultural Officer for Dance with the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados.

After completing the series of workshops Hinds said: “I truly respect the effort of those who provided me with this opportunity to share my Blkdance technical teachings with such a wide variety of participants in the dance arena, it brought joy to my heart to see how much I am appreciated and loved here in Barbados.”

NCF Dance Officer Alicia Payne-Hurdle said the Hinds’ workshops were a fitting gift to the dance community as NIFCA celebrates 50 years.

“I was extremely pleased but not surprised to see over 100 persons turn out for these workshop, which were free to the public. As a former Cultural Officer – Danny Hinds was known for these types of classes. Classes which brought the community of both dancers and dance enthusiasts out in their numbers each week to dance.”

She added: “As we celebrate our 50^th year in NIFCA I can’t think of a more fitting way to start the season than with classes by this phenomenal son of the soil who has dedicated his life to community development through dance and who is also that iconic dancer on our NIFCA Logo.” (PR)

Culture

BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition Winners Announced

Five winning teams have emerged from the recently held prize-giving ceremony of the inaugural ‘Barbados Postal Service (BPS) 2024 Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’.

The winners hail from the Post Offices of St. Joseph; St. George; Welches Road; St. Philip and the General Post Office in Cheapside.

The overall winner of the competition is the eight-member team of the General Post Office’s Accounts Section, who each received an Island Safari Tour. Second place went to the Welches Road Post Office, third was the St. Philip Post Office, fourth was the St. George Post Office and fifth place went to the St. Joseph Post Office.

Winning Teams (flanked by BPS management), of the inaugural ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’, from the GPO; Welches Road PO; St. Philip PO; St. George PO and the St. Joseph PO.

Postmaster General, Joann Busby, in her address to the winners, stated, “We look forward to many more events like this in the future, celebrating both our history and commitment to excellence.”

Concept Creator of the competition, BPS Marketing Officer Neiai Hall said, “This competition aims to showcase the creativity and cultural expression of our staff, through costume design and performance. The theme of the competition is rooted in our rich heritage and the vibrant spirit of Crop Over.

On left – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’ 2nd Place Winning Costume, On right – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-FFlicky Costume Competition’ 3rd Place Winning Costume.

“We have encouraged participants to design costumes that not only display their creativity but also incorporate elements that represent the services offered by the BPS”.

The judging criteria consisted of Sustainability; Creativity; Depiction of a BPS Service; Originality; Portrayal; Video Creativity and Originality; Practicality and Inclusivity and Descriptive Write-Up.

Plaques were presented to each of the winning teams and the St. Joseph Post Office also received the Postmaster General’s special award for Outstanding Advertising Video in the competition. (PR/GIS)

Culture

LAST LAP WEEKEND – Ended with Pic-o-de-Crop Finals, Foreday Jump and Kadooment

AN INCIDENT FREE FESTIVAL By David Harris

After two months of activities that included early morning breakfast fetes and late-night parties, the golden anniversary of the Crop Over Festival ended with the Grand Kadooment on Monday.

Over 10.000 revellers in 18 bands danced on the new route which began at the Helipad in Bridgetown and ended in front of Kensington Oval. The street parade was changed its 9 a.m. start to 10 a.m. by the National Cultural Foundation after the Barbados Meteorological Service placed the island under a severe thunderstorm watch.

Eventually, the Blue Box Cart band got the parade moving at 10.07 and the masqueraders began wining and chipping on the streets of Bridgetown.

Only 13 of the 18 bands on parade judged, among the revellers were Barbadian superstar and National Hero, the Right Excellent Robin Rihanna Fenty and former West Indies captain Brian Lara.

Some bands were still heading towards the Mighty Grynner Highway just before at minutes to 9 o’clock. Aura was the last band to reach the highway before the police ended the parade.

The Grand Kadooment ended an action-packed weekend that included the Pic O De Crop Finals at the National Botanical Gardens in Waterford on Friday night, the Foreday Morning Jam which began in Bridgetown in the wee hours of morning and the Grand Kadooment on Monday.

Fans were primed for thrilling contest between the defending monarch IWeb (Ian Webster) and Adrian “AC” Clarke who placed second in last year’s Pic O De Crop competition; but it was AC who captured the crown for the third time after IWeb who appeared to have forgotten the lyrics of the De Village Ram in the second half of the competition.

Clarke performed at number 16 (immediately behind IWeb) and stamped his authority on the competition with an impressive performance of the self-penned Going Fuh Crown, the judges awarded him 133 points, 28 more than Sir Ruel who came second.

Adrian Clarke the 2024 Calypso Monarch

His impressive performance won the first prize of $100,000 or a Nissan E Powe X- Trail valued at $136,000; Clarke told journalists after the competition he had opted to take the vehicle instead of the prize money. Clarke, 52, first won the crown in 2001 and in 2008.

Sir Ruel was the most outstanding performer in the first half with A Single Bullet, he wrote the calypso in memory of his brother Dario Jon-Luc Holder-Branch who was shot to death in February this year. The former Junior Monarch amassed 105 points and won a cash prize of $40,000.

*Sir Ruel, Pic of de Crop, 2nd place winner*

Perennial finalist Chrystal Cummins-Beckles placed third with De Proposal, the multi-talented musician, arranger and composer was awarded 97 points and the $20,000 prize.

Billboard placed fourth for the second consecutive his calypso earned him a cash prize of $15,000; and first timer Tae, the youngest competitor in the final took the fifth position and $10,000 with A Big Cirus.

Calypsonians placing from the sixth to tenth position received $8,000 each, those coming 11 th to 18 th got $6000.

The competition started 51 minutes after the scheduled 8 p.m. due to technical hitches with video presentations, and one contestant (Kid Site) had to start over his song because of problems with the audio. The second half started just after midnight and ended at 2.10 a.m.

In commemoration of the 50 th anniversary of the Crop Festival there were performances by former monarchs the Mighty Destroyer. Red Plastic, the Mighty Gabby and Edwin Yearwood.