“Work hard, play hard” were the words of advice Andrew Bellamy, Xaymaca International’s co-director, had to give subsequent to the reveal of the band’s 2020 carnival costumes last Saturday at 1 a.m. inside the National Indoor Sports Centre....
Eleven years ago, reggae-rocksteady lost its godfather, Alton Ellis – the man that sang the 1967 hit I’m Still in Love – but his son, Christopher, is determined to preserve the legacy. As a pioneer of rocksteady music, Alton managed to keep the...
A new comedy series is coming to town, with plans to kick up a storm for its first staging. Organisers of Laugh Out!, which is slated for tomorrow at the Sts Peter and Paul Conference Hall on Old Hope Road, have put together a programme that will...
With the growth in the local film industry, more and more persons appear to be interested in exploring their creative side. However, Fabian Thomas, executive director of Sankofa Arts...
The life of Franklyn ‘Chappie’ St Juste, a master film-maker who has influenced many within the entertainment industry, will be celebrated today at The University Chapel on The University of the West Indies, Mona. It is scheduled for 2 p.m. His...
Six weeks ago, recording sweetheart Tosh Alexander was celebrating her latest single, Games, officially being added to Pandora’s ‘Women in Reggae’ playlist, and now she is preparing to be part of one of the most prominent panels, the Caribbean...
One of the pleasures of a life surrounded by dance is the ability of it to move a person, whether physically or emotionally, to smile then to tears. It is safe to say, this is the way Tony Wilson, artistic director and founder of the Company Dance...
In an effort to share her opinion about the inappropriateness of Jamaica’s carnival celebrations, radio personality Ramona Samuels posted comments under The Gleaner’s Instagram post about Xodus Carnival’s band launch. She expressed: “Time to...
The first band to unveil its costumes for the carnival 2019 season was Xaymaca International, executed in an unforgettable showcase of intricate design details and music for its ‘Iconic’ theme. The presentation of its ‘Dancehall Queen’ section...
“Those schoolgirl days of telling tales and biting nails are gone. But in my mind, I know they will still live on and on. But how do you thank someone who has taken you from crayons to perfume? It isn’t easy but I’ll try.” These are the...
Xodus Carnival is the second of three bands to launch for Jamaica’s 2020 carnival season, raising the bar even higher with its extravagant production held last Saturday. A rope dancer in silver, moving against the dark sky on a riser, was the first...
The sounds of meditational chants and drums, beating like a healthy heart, echo from the suburban roadway of Hillcrest Avenue in St Andrew. It serves as an invitation to passers-by to follow the pounding to a circle of positive energy at the home...
As soon as music plays, the mind and body of a dancer or choreographer starts to move. There is no denying the rhythm, and while each region may have its own genre of popular music, it is almost unnatural to find dancers, whether on the local or...
With approximately 24 weeks left for Jamaica’s 2020 carnival road march, the veteran band Bacchanal Jamaica has led by example by being the first to host its launch. There are approximately nine main sections in the band, designed under the theme ‘...
She speaks one language – dance. If ever an opportunity arises to start a conversation with the owner and artistic director of the Dance Forever Contemporary Theatre Company, Michelle Allison Pilgrim, don’t let it pass. The Trinidadian is on an ...
In the late ‘90s, Leshorn Whitehead emerged on Jamaica’s reggae music scene, being a conscious voice that could easily be singled out in a medley. The industry was introduced to Chuck Fenda, an artiste with music heavily concentrated on the plight...
“Let me first say to Popcaan, I have been watching you and there is nothing unruly about you,” was the starting sentence of the member of parliament (MP) for St Thomas Western, James Robertson’s, speech. As the guest speaker at the Unruly Fest...
On the verge of announcing its official premiere, LHDT Productions, the producer of the international reality TV series Dancehall Divas are covering all ground to safeguard its stationing as a means to capture its target markets. It has been over a...
Being a male dancer comes with its perks, says Orrette Beckford of Dance Theatre Xaymaca. After all, since fewer males than females are known to study dance, the comparatively stronger sex is often in demand when it comes to castings. Beckford is...
Identifying his son’s potential to become a celebrated name in Jamaica’s popular genres 13 years ago, Wayne Smith Sr introduced Wayne ‘Wayne J’ Smith Jr to the music industry at the tender age of three. Seven years later, he burst on to the scene...
Dance Theatre Xaymaca is always a dynamic show full of energetic dancers combining drama with multiple genres of music. The company’s artistic director, Barbara McDaniel, seems to have set for her shooting stars new tests for the 24th Season of...
Straddling the line between a celebration of cultish practices and a fun way for children (or children at heart) to play dress-up, Halloween has evolved over the past five years on local playgrounds. Wide interest in Halloween has led to the growth...
Deeply touched by the passing of Jamaican actor and artiste Louie Rankin, multiplatinum-selling South African entertainer Menelik Nesta Gibbons has recorded and produced a song in honour of his life and name. The entertainer said that after...
Prior to receiving his National Award at King’s House yesterday, actor Glen ‘Titus’ Campbell said that he asked permission to do the official shuffle as he collected the nation’s sixth honour – the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer. “I...
“We flew 17 hours to be present to collect our award – from Chile to Miami to Jamaica straight to King’s House, where we got properly dressed in the medical tent,” said Roger Lewis, one of the founding members of Inner Circle Band. For over 50...
