Students prepare for arts festival
The Belize District Festival of Arts is in full swing at the new Bliss…but what those in the audience may not appreciate is the amount of hard work that goes into the performance preparation. Patrick Jones visited one Belize City school and found that practice will hopefully make perfect.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
The sound of drumming coming from the Standard 5 classroom at St. John Primary School is that of student?s preparing for their big performance.
Class teacher Melanie Cadle says the children have their hearts set on giving a gold medal winning performance.
Melanie Cadle, Teacher, St. John Primary
“We are practicing for the festival of arts. These children will be performing on Tuesday night at the bliss.”
Patrick Jones
“Why are you teaching them the Garifuna dance?”
Melanie Cadle
“Well, I have a personal likeness for the Garifuna culture, even though I am not Garifuna. And also I thought that I have a class that is multi-culture, so I thought it would be for the other children to learn the Garifuna dance.”
The children, who come from different backgrounds, are being taught by multi-talented artist Gary Baltazar. Baltazar says he has chosen the fanga and chumba for specific reasons.
Gary Baltazar
“Well, culture in Belize, Garifuna culture is very rich and I think it?s much more appropriate for the children to learn things like Garifuna dances, etc. So I prefer to be here at school teaching the children the dances so they can grow up to be dancers or maybe better dancers in the future.”
And the children have responded with enthusiasm.
Rasheed Myvett, Std. 5 Student
“Well they are teaching us to dance the Garifuna drumming because if we as Belizeans it?s “bad” to learn about a next kind culture. Yes, I feel great.”
Lorraine Itza, Std. 5 Student
Weh I like from it dah the fanga and the chumba.”
Patrick Jones
“Did you know to dance those before you came to the class?”
Lorraine Itza
“No.”
Cyril Parchue, Std. 5 Student
“I feel good because I di share my culture to the Creoles. So and it make me feel like more part of one another.”
Patrick Jones
“As a Garifuna boy, would you support other children who are not Garifuna, learning the Garifuna culture?”
Cyril Parchue
“Yes sir, because I feel good for teach other people my culture.”
Gary Baltazar
“We got to go through step by step. They need to listen to the drum, you know because I as a drummer and a teacher, I need to also look at the students, the way how the move, so I can see how they communicate. You see, the drum combines with the dance, and each step they do I need to play that rhythm for them.”
Patrick Jones
“So it’s a story being told?”
Gary Baltazar
“It’s a story being told, yeah.”
While the story portrays the Garifuna culture, for now the more important thing for the students is to bring home the gold on Tuesday night. And they have already gotten critical pointers from the teacher.
Rasheed Myvett
“Our teacher taught us when we are dancing on the stage, not to turn our back on the audience, rest you will lose points like that. And we are excited because we want to go out here and win gold.”
Patrick Jones, for News 5.
We promise to let you know how they do.
