Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Joylene Alexander, dub poet from Charlemont High School, doing 'Weh AIDS Can Do' at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's National Speech Finals at the Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Avenue, St. Andrew, last Friday. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
AS THE screams erupted from the Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Avenue, where the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) National Speech Finals were coming to an end on Friday, June 23, representatives of Excelsior Community College (EXED) and Ardenne High may have found themselves with wider grins than everyone else.
The competition features entries in myriad categories, further separated by classes. Students, teachers, community groups and individuals compete in public speaking, Standard English prose and poetry, poetry in Jamaican, storytelling, dub poetry and stand-up comedy.
In several of the pieces the performers spoke about the power of God and the destructive power AIDS and violence. Some pieces like Vertical Vibrations Necromancy, Ascot High's It Deh Yah and Ardenne High's Unfolding Truths brought moments of high drama. Interestingly, as those performances proved, the dub poetry genre remains vibrant and entertaining.
Friday was the second of the two days of competition and featured the entries from the junior and senior groups. Of the 24 awards presented Ardenne High earned five awards, while Excelsior Community College earned seven awards.
Unfortunately, in several categories no entrant was able to meet the standard of the judges, Christine Bell, Basil Dawkins, and Faith D'Aguilar. As such, very few awards were given out in class five and only five of the 12 awards available for class four were awarded.
List of Winners
CLASS 4 AWARDS
1) Standard English - Joylene Alexander 'My Mother' - Charlemont High
2) Best Jamaican Dialect - Kaylia Ellis 'To A Teacher's Day' - Ardenne High
3) Best Dub Poetry - Doreen Alexander - Charlemont High
4) Best Grand Speaking - Montego Bay High 'An Extract from Ascot' and 'The Woman Speaks to the Man who Employed He Son'
5) Best Dub Poetry Ensemble (Boys) - Ascot High 'Dey Yah'
6) Best Class Four Presentation - Joylene Alexander 'My Mother' - Charlemont High
CLASS 5 AWARDS
7) Best Storytelling - Gerald Green 'Anancy and Smoke Pork' - Manchester High
8) Best Dub Poetry Ensemble (Boys) - Vertical Vibrations 'Necromancy'
9) Best Class 5 Presentation - Gerald Green 'Anancy and Smoke Pork'
CLASS 6 AWARDS
10) Best Dub Poetry Nicole Williams 'It Nah Done'
11) Best Stand Up Comedy - Orville Hall 'Trini Jam' - Excelsior Community College (EXED)
12) Best Jamaican Dialect - Thealdra Baker 'Playgroun', 'Puh Dung Di Gun' and 'Dancehall' - EXED
13) Best Storytelling - Kemar Bailey 'Anancy and the Pretty Likkle Pot' - EXED
14) Best Standard English - Samantha Hardy 'Extract from The Word Today', 'Masquerade' and 'I Never Knew' Port Antonio Theatre Group
15) Best Experimental Speaking Ensemble - EXED 'I believe' and 'Reckless Drive'
16) Best Class 6 Presentation - Kemar Bailey EXED
CLASS 7 AWARDS
17) Best Dub Poetry Ensemble (Boys) - Ardenne High 'Unfolding Truths'
18) Best Class 7 Presentation - Ardenne High 'Unfolding Truths'
OVERALL AWARDS
19) An Outstanding Ensemble Little London Primary
20) An Outstanding Female Presen-tation Peta-Gaye Blake-Campbell
21) An Outstanding Male Presentation Kemar Bailey - EXED
22) Best Jamaican Dialect -
Louise Bennett Award Thealdra Baker - EXED
23) Best Overall Tutor Susan Beadle - Ardenne High
24) Best Speech Presentation Chris-Ann Thomas - Ardenne High.
