Percussion on the Greens

 Ariana Thomas in Children's Song

 Candice Brathwaite in Broken

Departement of Creative and Festival Arts, Gordon Street,

University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. 

Saturday 28th March, 2015, 3:30 PM. Photography: Joseph Drayton

Percussion on the Greens a production hosted by the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, Musical Arts Unit. The Musical Arts Unit also invited the Dance Arts Unit to participate. Dance students Ariana Thomas (above) dance Children's Song No 1 by Chick Corea, conducted by Louise Clark, whereas Candice Brathwaite (bellow), danced the piece Broken to the musical piece Synergy by Chris Crockarell, conducted by Demika Guevara. Both pieces were choreographer by Jorge Luis Morejon in collaboration with the dancers. Other dancers were also present: Danielle Balroop, Any Reyes, Michelle Pilgrim and Schae Harrison who danced Gopak, composed by Modest Moussorgsky, choreographed by Anya Reyes, conducted by Trinity Cockburn and Bound for Marakesh, danced by Reyes and Balroop, composed by Chriss Brooks, choreographed by Deboleena Paul and conducted also by Trinity Cockburn. The Percussion Ensemble was directed by Dr. Jeannine Remy, the African Drumming Ensemble was directed by Mikhel Carter and Daniel Griffith, the Dance Ensemble was directed by Dr. Jorge Morejon and Ms. Deboleena Paul.

Mind Your Stress

Dr. Morejon taught a Tai Chi workshop for the students of UWI's St. Augustine Campus. The workshop was well attended and took place at the green area across from the LRC Building, under the giant tree. The workshop focused on the value of Tai Chi to manage stress, but also as a tool in maintaining a healthy body and a healthy body mind connection. From an aesthetic point of view, the workshop emphasized the use of Tai Chi's movement metaphors to connect with our own artistic side.

" Thank you again for participating in Unwind your Mind. Tai chi was such a terrific idea…. The students have given such positive feedback about the event and we've had queries about tai chi in particular."

Sarah Chin Yuen Kee

The Healing Power of Expression

Photo: Mario Porchetta

CAFÉ: The Journeys of Cuban Artists took place at the Errol Barrow Center for Creative Imagination, Cave Hill Campus here in Barbados. The event started on March 5^th with the opening of an Art Exhibition and Performance Arts pieces and a symposium on March 6^th.  The topic of the symposium was Art, Culture and Community Development.  The exhibition will be opened to the public till March 15^th, 2015.

Performance Piece: The Power of Expression by Jorge Luis Morejon, EBCCI, Cave Hill Campus.

Youvay Ayiti

Areito - Critical Readings Class

Using the 'Areito', the communal dance of Taino peoples, lecturer and Dance Unit Coordinator and Dr. Jorge Morejon choreographed the performance in which students depicted various aspects of the beliefs, customs, myths and history of their Caribbean ancestors. Assisted by calypsonian and Warao descendant Mighty Composer (Fred Mitchell), they wove a traditional Warao chant into their masquerade performance.  Students presented their work in The Old Yard.

News Releases

UWI’s DCFA visits The Old Yard

For Release Upon Receipt - February 3, 2012
St. Augustine

This Carnival season, The UWI’s Department of Creative and Festival Arts (DCFA) takes us back to The Old Yard (formerly Viey La Cou), on February 12^th, 2012, from noon-6pm, at the Gayelle, DCFA, Agostini Street, St. Augustine.
The Old Yard is the DCFA’s annual masquerade. Situated at its Gayelle – an actual yard – complete with an architectural style reminiscent of long ago, this event will offer a dynamic mix of a journey into cultural history and a carnival masquerade showcase within the format of a heritage fair.
As in the days of old when the masquerade would be made and prepared in the old yard before spilling onto the streets of Port of Spain, The Old Yard gives patrons a slice of cultural history. 
This event is open to UWI staff, students and the public.
Cost for admission:
Adults – $50
Children – $20
To find out more about The Old Yard, please contact Louis McWilliams at 663-2222, or LouisMcWilliams@sta.uwi.edu.
For the latest UWI News, click http://sta.uwi.edu/news.

Arandara Ponahara: Land of the First Peoples

Arandara Ponahara: Land of the First Peoples

                            Vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/237656916

    Spontaneity seemed to be the underlying theme in The Old Yard 2015. The Department of Creative and Festival Art’s annual showcase of traditional Carnival masquerade and heritage did not disappoint and even caught many of its patrons by surprise this year. New features of a roving musical group performing old calypso melodies with Granny swaying and dancing by Granny’s house was to the delightful surprise of TOY’s younger patrons. And while many looked forward to the annual renditions of the tamboo bamboo in “the middle of the yard,” their continued performance by the backstage entrance thrilled patrons as they exited the venue as TOY 2015 came to an exuberant close. While performances filled the gayelle in quick succession, sustaining the patrons’ interest, the craft stalls and food booths offered and array local products and cuisine. 

    The student-centered band, Jouvay Ayiti, took its 2015 theme from the Caricom-led demand for Reparations for Caribbean people. The band title 'ARANDARA PONAHARA: LAND OF THE FIRST PEOPLES' echoes this call in two First Nation languages – the Wai Wai of Guyana and Garifuana of St. Vincent and Central America – for justice, compensation and the return of their ancestral lands. 

    Students of the courses 'Critical Readings in Caribbean Arts and Culture' and 'Costume Fabrication' undertook assignments based on this theme of reparations. They researched and presented on 7 pre-Columbian civilizations in the region: Ciboney, Taino, Maya, Warao, Wai Wai, Kalinago, Lokono and the post-Columbian Garifuna. 

    Workshops were conducted in mas-making and palm-weaving techniques to help students realize their ideas for this mas. Each costume presented therefore was built by its performer with some guidance from tutors and support from the group. These workshops were coordinated by Mr. Lari Richardson and tutored by master-crafts-persons – Kendall de Peaza (wire-bending) Cristo Adonis (weaving), Turunesh Raymond (found materials) and Martin Soverall (cardboard sculpting). 

    Using the 'areito', the communal dance of Taino peoples, lecturer and Dance Unit Coordinator and Dr. Jorge Morejon choreographed the performance in which students depicted various aspects of the beliefs, customs, myths and history of their Caribbean ancestors. Assisted by calypsonian and Warao descendant Mighty Composer (Fred Mitchell), they wove a traditional Warao chant into their masquerade performance.

    Students presented their work in The Old Yard and at Jouvay celebrations in Port of Spain, accompanied by Curepe Scherzando Steelband with other members of the public joining the band. 

    Subsequent episodes of the Arandara Ponahara narrative will be presented at the Emancipation First Peoples Heritage Festivals later this year. When asked about the purpose of The Old Yard, Project Director Dr. Jo-anne Tull said that the idea behind the project is to present traditional masquerade forms both performance, costume, character to audiences in an engaging family oriented event that would evoke feelings of nostalgia, happiness, excitement, and a continued love for the carnival traditions. 

For more, please visit https://readingthecaribbean.wordpress.com/

SALISES 2015

16th Annual SALISES Conference, Celebrated as the W. Arthur
 Lewis Centennial "Towards Caribbean Prosperity and 
Happiness in an Equitable World." Paper Title: 
Caribbean Carnival: A Model for Equality, Prosperity and Happiness. 
January 14-16, 2015, Rodney Bay/Castries, St. Lucia