- Contributed
Silver medal winner, Lauren Matos (left) from South Africa, Gold medalist Ana Strachan from Jamaica and the participant from Guatemala (right), copped bronze.
Michael Reckord, Contributor
JAMAICANS WERE among the best performers in the World Championships of the Performing Arts held early last month in Hollywood, California. One pair emerged as both the top vocal group, winning the 'Grand Champion Performers of the World' (vocal group) award and the overall 'Grand Champion Performer of the World'.
They are Strachan sisters, Ana, 18, and Samantha, 12.
They and mother Janet Strachan and sister Danielle, 16, returned to Jamaica from Hollywood with tales of their own victories and news that fellow Jamaicans Kivana Coleman, Lesline Kidd, Sophraya and Farai had also won prizes in song, modelling and karate.
Next day, news broke me that professional singer Jana Bent had won a Gold, a Silver and a Bronze award in her categories and that St Jago sixth-from student Rene Roxborough had placed second and third in rhythm and blues vocals and modelling, respectively.
In an interview, Mrs Strachan said that some 40 countries with more than 1,000 competitors were represented in the annual championships. Founded about seven years ago by Mr Griss O'Neil, they are regarded as the Olympics of the performing arts and always take place in Hollywood.
Relating the steps her daughters took to reach the top of the championships ladder, Mrs Strachan said they registered for the Caribbean eliminations leg held in Ocho Rios in July. Unfortunately, Ana was unable to take part.
TWO GOLD AWARDS
She had recently performed in a recital at the Mona chapel, Mrs Strachan said, as a result of which she had been invited to perform in Curacao. An airport strike in that country detained her and only Samantha performed in Ocho Rios on the day of the competition. She received two gold awards for songs in the pop and contemporary vocals category. So pleased were the organisers with her singing that they waived her entry fee for the Hollywood finals.
Good fortune smiled on Ana, too. She was invited to be a guest soloist at the ceremonies held after the competition. Mother and daughter were happy about this for, as Mrs Strachan explained, it gave Ana a chance to sing a complete song. (Competitors sang for only 90 seconds.)
As a result of a video of Ana singing which a determined Mrs Strachan sent to the organisers, Ana was allowed to take part in the Hollywood competition. In the preliminary round there, Ana performed five pieces, three of them in duets with Samantha.
Ana's solo categories included opera and broadway vocals. With Samantha she sang pop, contemporary and gospel. The result was that the sisters shared eight Gold medals between them. In the second round, the sisters got the overall championship (vocal pop) award and a gold plaque.
They were among the only 25 performers who went on to the final round. This meant they were competing with performers in several different arts. They emerged as top vocal group and top overall performers. The organisers told Mrs Strachan that this was a unique achievement in two ways. It was the first time that Jamaicans had won the overall title and the only time a first-time entrant had won the title.
But her daughters returned home with more than just the prizes, Mrs Strachan said. Ana has been offered a musical role in a movie while Samantha has been offered a role in a Broadway musical. Mrs Strachan said she was not at liberty to give further details.
OVERWHELMED
Interviewed, Ana, a first-year student at the University of the West Indies, said she had been "overwhelmed" by the Hollywood experience and was happy she had discovered what career she wanted. She wants to sing in both opera and musicals.
Samantha said she enjoyed the competition, her first, and wanted to be a lawyer and a singer.
Earlier this year, the sisters had debut roles in the Jamaica Junior Theatre production Scherazade's Tale and were outstanding. Samantha got award in dancing, singing, chorus work and acting. Ana got awards in singing, acting and dancing.
Mrs Strachan said she and husband, Aston, always knew, from they were young children, that Ana and Samantha were excellent singers. Now, with a 'World Champion' title to their credit, the world knows it too.
