A Hedonistic affair

Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

Tonight, culture vultures and lovers of Jamaican traditional dance forms will be in for a fabulous treat as the internationally acclaimed National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) will be premiering its 48th season of dance at the Little Theatre in a weekend opening dedicated to the works of late founder, Professor Rex Nettleford, its iconic former leader, principal choreographer and dancer.

Well, this is the cultural feast of feasts, as the region's premiere dance troupe, singers and musicians, known for their professionalism, stage mastery and genuine love for their craft, will be serving up another world-class season of music and dance for fans and dance aficionados. It promises to be nothing short of memorable! Definitely a must-attend!

Anyway, for all its political intrigue and shenanigans, Kingston is decidedly, the hottest capital in the Caribbean, its outlying districts, towns, villages and north coast resorts. Not only some of the finest, they are the hottest, their entertainment roster, the blueprint for many a Las Vegas hotel, not to mention a number of other copy-cat resorts that have sprung up around the region and beyond! Now while desiderata has implored us all to be tolerant of the dull and the ignorant, it is rather difficult when they come at you daily, professing their boredom, expecting you to provide solace, or to recommend where and how they should find entertainment, or how to entertain themselves. It was another sage, who opined, "Do not seek happiness from your friends, instead, seek your own happiness, then share it with your friends.'' Not everyone, however, got the memo, and so they continue seeking their happiness from friends, especially the fleeting kind, by way of entertainment.

So, while the dull and ignorant, are constantly in search of happiness through their friends, they continue to lose out on what peace there maybe in silence. What's worse, that happiness is not a visitation from an alien source, but from within. In this instance, the 'within' is the shores of Jamaica! As while those in search of entertainment nirvana are constantly externalising their search, happiness is to be found right here, anywhere between Morant Point and Negril's West End, especially now that the Jamaica Tourist Board is once again promoting Jamaica as the ideal vacation destination for Jamaicans!

There's no doubt that Jamaica is hot for locals and visitors, as was the case last week when a group of Afro-Americans staged a week-long resort takeover at the celebrated Hedonism III, in Runaway Bay, St Ann. Oh, my word, talk about hot. A witch's cauldron has never seen such steam, as this was one sensational scorcher, and it rocked liked flowing lava! The festivities began last Thursday evening, in time for the weekly staff-and-guests talent show and toga parade, or make that rampage! There was no mistaking the mood of unbridled excitement and fun, as this was an outing of like-minded partygoers and, by the time Sunday rolled around, the hedonistic world was basking in its own fabulous reflection!

Between the all-night quad-parties, the piano-bar sing-along, the absolutely divine nightly entertainment and entertainers, the racy parties in the resort's ultra-hot Hurricane Disco, and the capping of each day-and-night entertainment, with a leisurely unwinding dip in the au naturel Roman tub, it was a dream weekend!

And while it was only a weekend celebration for some, for others it was a week-long fest of fun and frolic. Capping it all was the sensational performer, Cee-Cee Peniston, who crowned the funfest, with a simply stunning performance at the resort's quad party on Saturday night, ending with her international hit, Finally!

Now here's a star of the fabulous order as, all weekend long, the absolutely gorgeous Peniston was in-house, devoid of any 'star-attitude' as she too soaked up the ambience and prevailing mood of the resort, without any of that stale do-you-know-who-I-am? routine. But there was no escaping the fact that Peniston was all that, as her every appearance, whether for cocktails, dinner or sunning it on the beach, she was at all times the epitome of fabness! Definitely the way to go!

And if Saturday night's hot performance was not the deal clincher, try the national dish of ackee and salt fish, with fluffy Johnny cakes, oodles of fruits, fruit juices and crowning mimosas, to also kick start a new week! The buzz is this weekend into next week promises to be yet another fab takeover by yet another Afro-American group, all determined to see out Hedonism III on a high, before its August closing and rebranding!

Anyway, the partying continues!