Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
A dancer from the UTech Art and Theatre Ensemble performs at the University of Technology's 'Sunburst'.
THE UNIVERSITY of Technology's (UTech) 2005 concert, 'Sunburst', was an impressive collaboration of the visual and performing arts. The visual arts came from an exhibition of the university's recently acquired A. D. Scott collection while the performing arts came from their range of arts groups.
The collection, which features sculptures by Christopher Gonzales, Alvin Marriott, Osmond Watson, Lester Hoilett, and Scott himself, as well as pieces of Okoro, Youruba origin, was initially housed at the Olympia Arts Centre which had been created by Scott to house an international centre for the arts. The collection will now make its way, according to the University's president, Dr. Rae Davis, to the Caribbean Sculpture Park and other areas across the campus.
The collection ought to significantly boost the university's standing as an artistic Mecca. Its sculpture park, significantly unique to the Caribbean and also impressive with the level of work it contains, already endowed it with a feather worth waving in its cap. The A.D. Scott collection fattens the plumage.
EN ROUTE
The other half of 'Sunburst', featuring the performing arts, suggests that on that side, UTech has not yet arrived but they are en route. 'Sunburst' proved to be one of the best shows by the UTech Art and Theatre Ensemble, which comprises vocals, steel pan, an instrumental band, the drama and dance troupe, as well as the young drummers 'Tomorrow's Children'. The night was held together by a narrator, Pa Ben, which was cute but rested too easily in the stereotype of the 'old man'.
The drumming was the strongest element from the ensemble. It began with the impressive output of 'Tomorrow's Children' led by Joy Northover, who, on eight congos and a bass drum, gave a throbbing start to the night of performances and hints at great possibilities for the future.
The drums continued to reign with the performance of 'Sofa' which took over the theatre from the back of the room and made its way to the stage. Led by Ouida Lewis, the group gave a thrilling, energetic performance that highlighted that the art of drumming is as much a relationship between the drummer and his instrument as it is between artiste and audience. The group are quietly crafting impressive performance skills and are a treat to watch and listen to.
COUP DE GRAS
The ménage a trois djembes which came later in the evening was the coup de gras. Featuring two of the core's drummers and guest drummer Denver Smith, it was a resoundingly fantastic performance.
The vocal ensemble gave decent performances but needs to work on strengthening the voices. This was particularly evident in their first piece, a performance of Jimmy Cliff's You Can Get It if You Really Want. The ensemble was not at its full strength for the piece and the song was clearly not as vibrant and full-bodied as it should be.
The ensemble also performed Satamassagana, La Bamba, and One Note Samba. While the female half of the costume for the group was one of the most garish concoctions ever, the performance voices and choreography were able to make up for it.
The theatre group and the dancers also show good potential but they too have a disciplined and rigorous journey ahead. The theatre group delivered excerpts from 'Man Talk', which were funny and insightful into the state of the Caribbean man. They also delivered a piece of Earl Lovelace's The Dragon Can't Dance but the costumes were significantly stronger than the performance for this piece.
Roxanne Cornieff, who also dances with the Stella Maris Young Adult Ensemble, was particularly striking while 'Fi Wi Time', choreographed by Monika Lawrence and Abeldo 'Tokie' Gonzales was an interesting journey through Jamaican dance from the folk to the contemporary.
The night also showcased the skills of the steel orchestra while the instrumental ensemble generally backed the vocal group but also used a medley to show that they house some talented students. So the art and theatre ensemble's first attempt to stretch beyond the campus was a successful one.
