The finals of the national Children’s Mashramani Competition had a fiery start yesterday at the National Cultural Centre (NCC), where there were energetic performances in the Dance and Masquerade finals.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand opened the competition, which saw highs in the dance finals and lows in the masquerade contest from the primary and secondary schools participating from around Guyana.
Dances were judged in four different categories: interpretive; religious beliefs; legend and tradition; and social commentary. The judges tallied the scores for the performers as the dances were judged on the name, relevance of the theme; authenticity; presentation; rhythm and choreography.
Students performing in the 5-7 and 8-10 years age groups took the stage during the morning, while 11- 13 and 14-17 years groups competed in the afternoon.
The competition started with the little ones from the Mainstay Lake Primary of Region Two, who danced the “The Curri-Curri” in the legend and tradition category. However, taking the first place were students of the Regma Primary School, with their performance of “Guyanese Playtime.” In second position was the Mocha Arcadia Primary, while the Sophia Primary School was third.
In the 8-10 years group, Green Acres Primary’s took the honours with the performance of “Glorifying His Majesty,” which saw the student dancers lighting up the stage at the end of their performance. The second place was bottled up by Two Miles Primary’s well-executed “Mash Flare” and third place was won by Mainstay Lake Primary.
In the 11-13 years age group, Richard Ishmael Secondary School heated up the competition and won both the individual and group categories. Karisma Charles won the judges’ approval with her piece, “Testimony.” Taking second place was Three Miles Secondary’s Renae Douglas while third place went to Anna Regina Secondary’s Puja Boodhoo, with the legend and tradition piece “Magical Art Forms from India.”
In the group competition, Richard Ishmael earned the first place with a dance entitled “Mash fever.” The students from the Zeeburg Secondary also delivered to the judges an outstanding performance with “Unhindered Worship,” which was one of the more exceptionally exuberant stage performances.
In the 14- 17 years age group, the competition was intense and the performers demonstrated a lot of energy and enthusiasm as their moves was well choreographed. The individual dance category saw BV Secondary student Namdaine Bhimsain, with a piece called “Tanavi,” walk away with the first prize, followed by Tiana Codrington of St Winefride’s Secondary, who performed “Struggle” and Zeeburg Secondary’s Roshanie Randolph, who performed “Humble Worship,” respectively.
In the group competition, East Ruimveldt Secondary won the crowd with “Shattered Dreams,” while also earning first prize from the judges.
After the performance, the Cultural Centre was filled with screams and cheers from the audience, who pleaded for an encore. Wisburg Secondary, with its piece “Mash Spirit” won second place while Three Miles Secondary, performing “We Tradition, We Pride, and Mistress of the Night” took third place.
In contrast to the dance finals, energy was noticeably lacking throughout the masquerade flouncing and masquerade band performances. Although most of the flouncers managed to execute the moves that the judges were looking for, at various points their lukewarm performances and shabby costumes had many in the audience wishing for them to exit the stage. However, some did cheer some of the flouncers and threw money to the stage as an indication that they were satisfied with the performances.
In the 8-10 age group competition, North Georgetown Primary was the winner with the piece “City Flouncers,” followed by Mackenzie Primary, with “Livewire” and Aurora Primary, with “Flouncing Band.”
Out of six schools in the 11-13 age group masquerade flouncing competition, Winfer Gardens Primary’s Jamel Broomes was declared the most outstanding performer as he captured the first place. In the second place was flouncer Jeremia Sam from the Mahaicony Primary, followed by New Amsterdam Secondary flouncer Ryan Brumble, who performed “Raging Zebu.” The winners for the band flouncers in this age group were to Mackenzie Primary, which took first place with “The Ramblers,” followed by New Amsterdam Secondary with “Pulsating Inferno” in the second position and Huist Dieren Primary with “Flouncing Paraders” in third.
In the 14-17 years masquerade flouncing competition, meanwhile, Tutorial High’s flouncer Kevon Warren exuberant performance “Flouncing Down The Road” earned him first place, followed by Buxton Secondary’s student Kimberly, with “Flouncing in Colours,” and Johanna Cecilia Secondary’s Romano Niles, with her performance “Flouncing Mano.”
In the 14- 17 years band contest, there was an exciting performance by Lodge Secondary School, which earned the school first place, following in second position by the Linden Foundation Secondary, with its performance of “The Honourables” and in third place by Cotton Field Secondary’s “Flouncing Revellers.”
The Calypso and Dramatic Poetry finals will be held today.
