George Henry, Gleaner WriterSPALDINGS, Clarendon: IT WAS an evening of poetry, music, dance, fashion and story telling at The Vineyard in Mandeville on Sunday
February 27.
The fundraising event dubbed 'Poetry in Motion', the brainchild of Dub Poet Yasusafari was staged to generate funds for charity.
The line-up of participants included Della Manley, Lorna 'breakfast in bed' Bennett, Joan Andrea Hutchinson, Prof. Mervyn Morris, Dr. Carolyn Cooper, Amina Blackwood-Meeks, the Church Teachers College dance troupe, Ayahdeh Theatre Group, among others.
Ayahdeh Theatre Group's 'Power of Superstition' reminded of a good old time nine night setting. Choreographed by Mandeville businesswoman and actor Vivienne Brown, the group had the audience singing, dancing and laughing throughout their performance.
The group which comprised teenagers showed that they received good tutelage in their craft, and the appreciative audience which was 100 per cent adults got value for the $2000 paid to attend the event.
'Phantasy' a dance duo from Church Teachers College gave the audience a wonderful display of dancing to Kevin Lyttle's Tempted to Touch. Their performance had the large gathering attentive throughout, especially when they danced close.
Professor Mervyn Morris, Joan Andrea Hutchinson and Amina Blackwood-Meeks were excellent at their craft. Professor Morris who was the first to appear gave the crowd a good menu of poems, including Death, Granny, Love Is, and Boarding School.
Amina Blackwood-Meeks was the consummate story teller. She had the crowd in stitches as she read from a few of her stories, and did a bit of singing in between.
Joan Andrea Hutchinson's appearance was also pleasing. She read pieces from her recently published book 'Meck Mi Tell Yuh'. She had the crowd laughing from she appeared on the small stage until she left. Pieces read from the book included Mad Man Power, Rover Seh Don't Dis, Nude Wedding and Street Wise.
Dr. Carolyn Cooper's reading of her compositions 'Bob Marley Resting in Peace' and 'Eulogy for Bogle', the dancer who was gunned down recently, were well received by the crowd.
When Della Manley hit the stage and opened her performance with Ashes on Window Sill, the first song she ever wrote, she also got a great response. Barbican Square, the title track for an upcoming album followed, with a request for more by the audience.
Lorna Bennett did not disappoint the audience when she closed her performance with her hit song, Breakfast in Bed. She also did Olivia Newton John's I Honestly Love You, and dedicated it to her mother who was in the audience.
Poetry in Motion was closed by the main organiser and Dub Poet Yasusafari. His list of selections included 'Now that You are Gone', 'Honest' and Mi Love Yuh Fi True'.
Overall it was a wonderful evening at The Vineyard.
