NCF showcasing community culture this weekend

Participants who enrolled in the National Cultural Foundation’s (NCF) 2022-23 community training programmes across the island, will have the opportunity to showcase their talents this weekend.

When the Barbados Worker’s Union stages its annual Labour Day celebrations of Monday, May 1, at the National Botanical Gardens patrons there will see multiple dance routines starting at midday.

Over 200 Barbadians will perform during the NCF’s community cultural showcase. There will be wonderful choreographies in African Dance, Afrobeat Dance, Street Dance, Stick-Licking, Landship and Maypole as well as Tuk Drumming and Flute presented by the enthusiastic performers.

This cultural aspect of the day’s events is produced by the NCF in recognition of the Season of Emancipation which runs until August 27.

The Intangible Cultural Heritage programmes are aimed at reengaging the community by unearthing, training and showcasing community talent. This programme also acts as a sustainable tool for community sensitisation and mobilisation in these challenging times while utilising important aspects of our indigenous culture. 

These sessions were developed in four zones: north, south, east and central covering every parish and were open to all ages and experience levels.

ICH Community Landship and Tuk and Flute classes were coordinated by The Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW) and trained persons in the art of playing the instruments of the engine. This segment of the Programme also saw Barbadians embrace the nation’s traditional dance, where they benefitted from training in manoeuvres of the Barbados Landship and the movements of the Maypole. These sessions were also coordinated by the PCW.

Bajan Stick Licking, the indigenous martial art of Barbados, was revived by the training of participants, both children and adults in classes held at schools across the island.

Street Dance is an umbrella term used for a large number of social dances around the world. Dances such as Breaking, Popping Locking, Hip Hop, Voguing and for us in the Caribbean, Dancehall are all a part of the Street Dance family.

One of the most popular Street Dance Styles at the moment, Afrobeat Dance is a unique fusion of traditional African and contemporary or modern day movements. Dancing primarily to Afrobeats music, this new wave is the latest dance phenomenon to take the world by storm.

The African Dance cohort will be performing live for the first time on Monday. The group will perform “Ubuntu” – “I Am Because We Are”. Ubuntu embodies values such as community, love, joy, respect, fulfilment, solidarity, acceptance and dignity.

NCF Dance Officer Alicia Payne-Hurley said the showcase is months of hard work by participants and long hours of dedication by the coordinators and tutors.

“We are eager to showcase what our community training programmes have produced. The participants are excited to be on a national stage. Special thanks to the coordinators, tutors for their hard work and dedication. All that is left for me to do at this stage is to encourage Barbadians to come out and support their family, friends and the general community as they get ready to perform for you in this cultural heritage showcase,” she said.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, April 30, theatre arts lovers can head to the Daphne Joseph Hackett Theatre at 4 p.m. for, We Stories, By We, the NCF’s ICH Community Theatre Showcase which features participants in the ICH drama programme.

The drama showcase will feature group and individual presentations of varying lengths on themes affecting Barbadian communities. Topics such as mini-bus culture, mental health challenges and other socio-cultural stories have been explored by the different groups.

Among the pieces being performed Sunday are De Hustle, Everything Gone Up, Ah Tired, Dreams of Delivery, Fair Play, The State Ah Wunna, Village Blues, A Piece of Everything and No Man Is An Island.

The drama sessions contributed to building a sense of community among participants while contributing to the personal and social development of the individual.

Both the ICH Dance and Drama showcases are free to the public. (PR)