Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
The Clonmel Cultural Club wowed the judges in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's National Traditional Folk Forms finals with their Class-five 'Brukins Party' performance, earning the full 100 marks at the Little Theatre last week. - CONTRIBUTED
FOR YEARS, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) festival of the performing arts has been kept alive by the commitment of the teachers and often willingness to either drive inspiration into or cultivate the seed born in their students. Last Tuesday, the second day of the national finals of the traditional folk forms, JCDC consultant, D. Joyce Campbell, made it particularly clear.
However, a significant part of developing the competition has been training. Unlike in the other areas of dance, drama, speech and music, the traditional folk forms had particular nests across the island where they were created. At the outset, that meant that the performances came mainly from groups in the vicinity. For example, 'Brukins Party' would be dominated by Portlanders.
BURSARIES OFFERED
In an attempt to push the training level even further, the competition, facilitated by its main sponsor, Capital and Credit Merchant Bank, has offered 14 bursaries for three weeks of workshops at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts this summer.
Campbell noted that in the case of the traditional folk forms, it was not merely schools that were holding the competition together, but primary schools in particular. Campbell was very vocal in expressing her appreciation for the work the teachers had put into the competition's growth. She pointed to its tentative genesis 16 years ago to its now buoyant stage with three days of performances ranging from 30 to 60 pieces.
Thus, it is particularly important that additional training takes place. The bursaries were awarded to 10 teachers and four students.
Dawn Neufville, Frome Technical High, Westmoreland; Natalie Harvey, Maryland All-Age, Hanover; Samantha Case, Albert Town High, Trelawny; Sonia Matthews, Fellowship Primary and Junior High, Portland; Angela Spencer, Cascade Primary and Junior High, Portland; Annie Barrett, Zion Hill Primary, Manchester; Vivienne Esmie, Four Paths Primary and Junior High, Clarendon; Trineta Fendal, Seaforth Primary School, St. Thomas; Jodiann Scott and Maxine Chambers, Farm Primary and Junior High, St. James, are the 10 teachers awarded.
CASH INCENTIVES
Jodian Lotoya Brown, Frome Technical High, Westmoreland; Odette Claudine White, St. Mary Technical High; Tashika Maxine Tenn, Mary Mount High, St. Mary; and Rene Kimberly Harris, St. Jago High, St. Catherine, are the four students awarded.
With increased sponsorship this year, the JCDC has also been able to award outstanding teachers with cash incentives and trophies. The Traditional Folk Forms competition awarded four of its teachers with $10,000 and trophies. These were received by Annie Barrett, Zion Hill Primary; Lillieth Nembhard, Drews Avenue Primary; Jeanette Walters, Clonmel Primary and Junior High; and Clonmel Cultural Club and Dawn Neufville, Frome Technical High.
