Community Dance Fest to highlight Haiti

By Hallam Hope

When the finals of Community Dance Fest are staged Thursday they will also be an opportunity to support Haiti.

The dance festival starts at the Wildey Gymnasium at 5 p.m. It brings together 13 young dance groups in two categories – adults and children.

The Community Development Department is appealing to Barbadians to bring non-perishable food items with them Thursday – Errol Barrow Memorial Day – and donate to the Haitian relief effort. Bins will be available to collect these items.

Additionally, the Community Dance Fest finals will feature at least one event aimed at providing solidarity to the Haitian people following the earthquake a week ago which destroyed much of the capital, Port au Prince, killed thousands of people and resulted in a huge humanitarian crisis.

Dancers have been working exceptionally hard to raise the standard of their performances since last month’s Zone Finals, at which the finalists were chosen. Community Dance Fest is organised and funded by the Community Development Department. It has been held annually since 2004.
It attracts mostly young dancers who have a passion for dance and are keen to take their skills to a higher level.

Eight male groups, including the 2008 winners Xtra Hype and the lone female group, Les Fills Magnifique, which hails from the Israel Lovell Foundation (ILF), will be competing in the adult section, while four groups will be contesting the childrens’ section.

In the adult category, the Prime Minister’s award will be at stake, adding to the prestige of winning.
Admission is just 10 dollars for adults and five dollars for children.
In addition to the finalists an exceptionally entertaining list of supporting performances has been chosen to add to the value of the evening.

Information on Community Dance Fest is available on the Internet at : www.comdev.gov.bb. 
Tickets may be obtained from Pharmaco Ltd, in Speightstown, C.S Pharmacy in Bridgetown, Ticket Town at Warrens, the Digicel centre at Sheraton Centre and Emerald City in St. Phillip.