The semi-finals of the Children’s Mashramani costume competition rolled off on Thursday with pulsating soca music as host Travis Chase urged the enthusiastic children to make some noise at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, following a late start owing to inclement weather.
The Department of Education, Georgetown, hosted the Mash event.
After introducing the judges, Violet Holder, Head of Department, Allied Arts, Queen’s College; Daphne Rogas, a designer; Loraine King, PRO of the Allied Arts; Wilfred Success, teacher at West Ruimveldt Primary; and Audrey Gomes, Manager, Guyana Water Inc., Chase handed the mike to co-host Henry Rodney and the show moved into top gear.
Individuals and Groups competed in two categories: Fantasy and Topical.
The competition started with the Individual nursery costumes. Although it was cold and wet outside, the tiny tots certainly made it hot inside as they gyrated to reverberating soca and showed off their costumes in a kaleidoscope of colours and a variety of splendid designs. The children had the packed hall quite entertained.
The hosts never once had to ask for applause as the competitors gave command performances.
The individual category was followed by the Nursery Group Costume competition. This saw most of the individual competitors returning with a group, except for Sponge Bob and his cohorts who arrived to thunderous applause, but seemed a bit disoriented as he was not “under the sea”.
For the Fantasy Individual category, St Gabriel’s emerged winner, Starters Nursery took second place and Sherman’s Nursery was third.
For Topical Individual, East Street Nursery took first place, Albouystown was second and Sophia Nursery third. In the group category-Fantasy: Sherman’s Nursery got first, Starters Nursery placed second and St Gabriel’s third. Topical saw East Street Nursery in first place with Albouystown second and Sophia third.
The nursery school students made way for the primary schools where competition was a bit fiercer and the mood of the Sports Hall got ‘hotter’ when the ‘Sparkle of Eldorado,’ Winfer Gardens Primary and ‘Queen of Shell beach’ Tucville Primary took centre stage.
In the 5-7, Individual Costume Fantasy: Winfer Gardens Primary took the first place and St Andrews was second. In the Topical Individual category there was only one competitor, Ketley Primary.
In the 5-7 groups there was also only one competitor for Fantasy and Topical, St Andrews Primary for the former and Ketley Primary for the latter.
In the 8-10 Individual, Fantasy: Winfer Garden’s took first place, Community Academy second and North Georgetown third. There was only one competitor in the Topical category, Ketley Primary.
In the 8-10 groups category there was once again one competitor each for Fantasy – North Georgetown and Topical, Ketley Primary.
St Gabriel’s followed Tucville Primary in the Individual 11-13 Fantasy category while St Sidwell’s followed North Georgetown in the Topical category. In the 11-13 groups there were sole competitors in both Fantasy – Tucville Primary and North Georgetown in the Topical.
For the final age group 14-17, there was only one competitor in Individual Fantasy, Dolphin Secondary and for the Topical, Cummings Lodge Secondary emerged first while New Campbellville Secondary took second place followed by Ascension Community High third.
For the Groups 14-17, Fantasy: Dolphin Secondary was first, Ascension second and Tucville third.
Thursday’s competition was the third leg in the Children’s Mashramani Competition.
On Monday the Dramatic Poetry and Calypso competitions were held and Dance One and Masquerade were staged on Wednesday.
Yesterday Dance Two was scheduled for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.