…. officials at yesterday’s show say
THE 2012 Children’s Mashramani Competition has been deemed a tremendous success, judging from improvement in performances displayed by students from nursery to secondary schools in the Georgetown district. This was the response from several Mashramani officials at yesterday’s dance and costume competition which kicked off at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Speaking with this publication, MC Travis Chase said that he found this year to be an exceptional one which saw some marked improvements in the different areas of the competition so far.
He pointed out that the skills and abilities of the students that were brought to the competition was commendable, specifically the in the calypso and dramatic poetry segments.
“Some of the poems were even written by the students themselves, and I thought they were very creative.”
With regards to the dances, he said that he and the judges were impressed with the performances.
“I thought that the nursery and primary children did far better than those from the secondary schools, and I would encourage teachers to go through the Ministry of Education Dance programmes for theatre arts; it might make a difference in the competitions; but the costumes, the dramatic poetry, the dances and the calypso were exceptionally done this year, and I look forward to a better physical display tomorrow.”
In the 14-17 dances under the Social Commentary category, David Rose Secondary’s Tawana Heywood walked away with third with her touching performance to ‘Unfaithful.’
In second for the same category, under individual performances, was Tiffany Fausette, from the Business School, doing ‘Art of life.”
Tiana Codrington walked away with the top spot as she represented St. Winefride’s Secondary School, dancing to ‘Struggle’, under Social Commentary.
Under the Religious Beliefs category for individual dances, Yulanda Geer of St.Joesph’s High doing  ‘God is the Answer’ took the first place after a brilliant performance at the National Cultural Centre on Wednesday.
North Georgetown Secondary’s Raynicka Griffith managed to take second in  the 14-17 category, under Religious Beliefs, dancing to ‘Redemption’, and Ruth Moore from the David Rose Secondary walked away with third, performing ‘The Testimoy.’
Copping first place in the interpretive category under individual performances, performing ‘Reloaded and Keeping It Alive’ was Leon Marks, from the Business School.
A Christ Church Secondary student, Shimane Hutson, came second, with  doing an interpretive piece, ‘Fiery Fiesta’, and Akita Henry walked away with third, after dancing to ‘Crazy Hype’ both under the 11-14 individual performances.
The category Legends and Traditions saw Tanisha Lewis of Chase’s Academic Foundation grabbing first place after her exuberant performance, ‘Afro Lobia’. an Africa piece.
North Ruimveldt Secondary came second under the same category for the individual performances, and Coleen Neblet, from the David Rose Secondary, brought third in that same category also.
The 14-17 group dances, under Social Commentary, was won by East Ruimveldt Secondary, after they thrilled the judges with ‘Shattered Dreams’; in second place was St. Joseph’s High, with ‘Cries of the Street’; and taking the third place was  Christ Church Secondary, dancing to ‘Creations, a Prayer.’
Under the Religious Beliefs category, St. Joseph’s high walked away with first place , with an excellent ‘Affirmation’ .The Business School copped second place with ‘Heaven’s Pride’, and David Rose Secondary took third in the same category, with  ‘His Presence.’
For the interpretive category, Tutorial High was named the winner, with ‘Unity’, while the Richard Ishmael Secondary took second place, and Chase Academy third place.
The Legends and Traditions category saw Richard Ishmael Secondary walking away with first, with  ‘African Sensation ’, Tutorial High copped second place and St. Johns College took third in the dance category.
Further, the already jived up competition moved into the costume competition from nursery to secondary in all the various age groups, under several categories which included Topical and Fantasy.
For the nursery schools costume competition under the Topical Category, for the individual displays, Happy Hearts Nursery’s De Andre Saul took home the winning title.
Akeela Williams, a student of the Headstart Nursery walked away with second place, and Alexander Village Nursery took third place in the competition, both under the Topical category.
Under the Nursery Schools group performances, Headstart Nursery copped first place, while Alexander Village took second place, and Carol’s Nursery came third, all under the Topical category. No nursery school displayed costumes under the category Fantasy.
In the 5-7 individual performances, under the Topical Category, St.Angela’s Primary’s Ronesha Samuels walked away with first, and Isah Jackman, from Ketley’s Primary, claimed second place under that same category. Since Ketley’s Primary was the only school which showcased a costume under the Fanatsy category, they were named winners.
For the 5-7 group performances, under the Topical category, St. Angela’s Primary walked away with first, Ketley’s Primary placed second, and South Road Nursery came third.
In the 8-10 individual performances, under the Fantasy category, St Anne’s Primary’s Romeo Fraser snatched the winning title with his costume ‘Cloud Prince’ ; Georgiana Vyphuis from the Marian Academy  showcaseding her ‘Awakening’ and St Gabriel’s Primary’s ‘The Beautiful Swan in the Ugly Duckling’s Shell’ displayed by Analisa Sinclair.

Under the Category ‘Topical’, Monar Educational Institution walked away with first, well represented by Alwyn Bellamy, showcasing a costume titled ‘Aiwe Cahari’, St.Stephens Primary took second place with by Ryan Dowding who displayed a costume titled ‘Vat on de Attack.’ Ketley’s Primary came third under the Topical category, displaying ‘Togetherness in Guyana to Keep Our Tradition Alive.’ The schools scored positions in the same order as in the individual categories.
Most all of the schools that were to participate in the 11-13 category of the individual and group competition did not show.
However, Shanice Rose from the Winfer Gardens Primary, copped the top spot for her school  under the category ‘Fantasy’, and her costume was titled ‘A Royal Infusion.’
For the 14-17 individual performances, Freeburg Secondary took home the title, displaying a costume titled ‘Blossoming’, worn by Faithe Dey.
Cummings Lodge Secondary’s Aaron Bacchus got second place and St.Johns College won the third place, represented by Shontel Browne, showcasing ‘Beauty El Dorado,” all under the ategory Topical.
Richard Ishmael Secondary being the only school to compete in the category ‘Fantasy’, took him the winning title, represented by Dwayne Ramdeo.
For the 14-17 group costume display, under the Topical category, St. John’s College was named winner of the category, for showcasing a costume titled ‘Pride Time’ and Charlestown Secondary came second.
Richard Ishmael Secondary again copped the first place for their performance in the Fantasy category.
Today the Physical Display and the last competition for the schools will kick off at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, after which the winners of the competitions throughout the country will come up against each other at the regional competition on the February 15 at the National Cultural Centre.