- HERBERT MCKENIS
Simone Edwards (centre) prepares to dance in The Gleaner/Star 'Tiney Winey Diva' contest at the Jungle Nightclub during Supreme Ventures Jamaica Carnival 2005 Negril leg.
Nagra Plunkett, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU-
NEGRIL, 'THE capital of casual', was invaded by the sounds of Byron Lee and the Dragonaires when Supreme Ventures Jamaica Carnival 2005 on Friday night.
The staging at the Jungle, dubbed 'Unleash The Tiger', proved that the masses in the resort town had no reservations about letting their hair down and being casual.
Oscar B, Jumo and Ashley built the 'vibes' as they entertained the patrons dominated by fun-loving females. The tourists were not left out as they joined in the fun and soaked up the carnival spirit.
Although the patrons were slow in filling up the courtyard of the popular venue, by 11:30 p.m. the event had reached a fever pitch level with revellers getting their 'wine' on.
To complement their delivery of soca hits, the band and its singers did a tribute to reggae legend, Bob Marley. The crowd sang with them in unison as they did Three Little Birds, One Love and No Woman Nuh Cry.
During the band's two-hour long set, Trinidad and Tobago's Roger George made an appearance and did renditions of Kevin Lyttle's Turn Me On and Rupee's Tempted To Touch.
NEW DANCE
He first introduced a new dance called 'Jerk Chicken' and kept the best for last with 'The SpongeBob SquarePants' dance.
Roger George's act was followed by an intermission at which time radio personality, Jerry D, introduced Irie FM's disc jockey, Sunshine, who had her way with the musical 'juggling'.
She held the attention of the crowd, more so the women as she made calls for female empowerment and mocked the males' lacklustre performances in relationships.
During Byron Lee and the Dragonaires second stint onstage, three brave women accepted Oscar B's invitation to compete in an impromptu bosom-shaking contest. This was one of the high points of the night and a Grange Hill resident got the screams and shouts of approval from the men for first place.
Ex-dancer triumphantWESTERN BUREAU:
TWENTY EVEN-year-old Simone Edwards capitalised on her experience as a dancer to defeat four other contestants in the The Gleaner/Star 'Tiney Winey Diva' contest during the Supreme Ventures Jamaica Carnival 2005 staging in Negril on Friday night.
The lanky woman gyrated and balanced her body with only her hands as she entertained the crowd at the Jungle Nightclub courtyard.
However, it had not been an easy feat as her opponents gave her fierce competition.
She flashed a wide smile as she walked over for an interview following her victory. While moving strands of braid from her face, Edwards explained that she lives with an aunt in Negril, miles way from her original Grants Pen Road home in Kingston.
"I came down here to work as a dancer but I am not working now," she said. "While I was working here, I met someone and now he takes care of me."
FUTURE
The former student of Immaculate Conception and Mount Alvernia High schools, has hopes of getting involved in the tourism industry.
"I would like to have a tour bus on a hotel stand so I can carry visitors on tour. It is something I would love to do," she noted.
She explained that when she is not spending time with her 10 year-old son, who lives in Kingston, she reads and listens to music.
The Tiney Winey Diva' competition will have its grand finale in April where parish winners will get the opportunity to vie for the islandwide title and $10,000 cash.
