Couples prepare for dance competition
The ads on television, featuring Vanessa Williams in the movie “Dance With Me”, make it look like wall to wall excitement. The question is: will the action at the City Centre version of “Dance With Me” give the Belizean audience that same feeling?
Nessie Rivero, Organizer
“I didn’t want to have a Punta contest because there’re always having a Punta contest but never anything else, so I decided why not Latino?”
Janelle Chanona
“Was it difficult getting contestants interested in a contests like this?”
Nessie Rivero
“The 6 that I have, no. With them I wasn’t hard. The others, to build them up, to give them that self-esteem to do it, yes it was when it came to that part. Not everybody loves dancing Latino music, even if they do, it’s in the privacy of their own home or in a dance club.”
This afternoon, 3 of the 6 couples competing in the dance contest “Dance with Me” were not afraid to strut their stuff for the camera. The couples are all students from Belize City and believe it or not, they’ve only been practicing these moves for about a week. The dancers say come showtime on Sunday, they’ll have the routines for the 8 songs they’re dancing down pat.
Janelle Chanona
“Why be a part of this contest?”
Megan Fletcher, Couple #1
“Well for me it was not a quest to see how well I can dance, but a quest to bring out my more creative side. To choreograph my own dance, design my own costume, without any help especially not from the video or anything like that.”
Janelle Chanona
“As a guy, was it difficult to convince your friends that yes this was a cool thing to do?”
James Bradley, Couple #1
“Oh yeah! There is not much of what guys would expect coming from around Belize because there is scarcely any stuff like this done here. They are like what! Yeah right! Are you gonna do this, oh man, bummer. So I really had to impress them that this is going to be a very good show. We are putting our all into this and it’s gonna be excellent, awesome. I advise everyone to come out and see Belizean talent.”
Lilian Molina, Couple #2
“I feel excited. I can’t wait, you know costumes, everyone staring, being able to show off something that you have, something you have within.”
Janelle Chanona
“What was the inspiration for some of your dance moves? Was it looking at the movie, looking at other couples dance? What was it?”
Paul Moralez, Couple #2
“Not really. Lillian came up with some steps, I came up with some steps and we just choreograph together.”
Lilian Molina
“It was basically just steps that we all…none of our steps have been done from the movie, but it was actually just steps that we know, that we’ve seen different people, from different places, from when we were young.”
Janelle Chanona
“Have you all always been interested in dance?”
Lillian and Paul, together
I have, yeah…definitely I have.”
Evan Martinez, Couple #3
“I read about it in the newspaper and then I read it all about the place in the flyers, so I can at least do some of the moves, so I decided to give it a try.”
Janelle Chanona
“How did you all end up together as partners?”
Evan Martinez
“Same class, same school.”
Tisha Pascascio, Couple #3
“We are in the same class and I asked him to be my partner for the contest.”
Janelle Chanona
“So you guys are hoping to win this thing?”
Tisha Pascascio
“Well yes.”
Evan Martinez
Anything is possible.”
Tisha Pascascio
“We’ve been practicing a lot and hard.”
Janelle Chanona
“What’s the motivation? The prizes or just being out there?”
Tisha and Evan, together
“Just being out there and having fun.”
Evan Martinez
“Sometimes you like people to cheer for you and those things right.”
Janelle Chanona
“Aren’t you afraid to be going on stage by yourself?”
Tanya Sievert, Artist
“Not really because I done it quite a few times. I have been performing on stage since I was young, and I do many different things such as singing, I’ve been on a few commercials and in a beauty pageant. So I try to get myself as use to dancing on stage as I can, but every time I do it I am a little bit nervous.”
These young performers might like being in the spotlight on center stage but they’re also working hard to their part to support a very worthy cause.
Nessie Rivero
“It’s going to fund a multi-purpose building on Faber’s Road Extension. It’s for youths, adults, anybody is welcomed there. We are trying to build a multi-purpose building where we’ll have tennis, basketball, swimming pool, a youth centre, all those stuff.”
And if you think you can do better than these brave souls, Rivero says the sign up sheet is still open.
Janelle Chanona
“But people can still be a part of the contest?”
Nessie Rivero
“They still can. It is not hard, you can just call me at the YMCA, ask for Nessie and you’ll register. Give them the cassette that they need to start practicing and it’s a go from there.”
Janelle Chanona for News Five.
Tickets are $10 general and $12 reserved. The contest starts at 7:00 Sunday night at the Belize City Centre. The event is
being sponsored by the YMCA.
