The resounding applause and screams from the audience echoed the brilliant presentations that leapt across the stage on nights three and four of the Theatre Festival, which featured Dance. No one envied the adjudicators, who had the challenge of declaring winners in each category – Solo, Duet, Improv Solo, Group, and Instructors’ Improvisation (Improv).

Using various dance genres, from ballet to Afro-Caribbean Folk, the contenders gave the audience two nights of passion, elegance, excitement, and storytelling in dance. 

Among the solo presentations on dance night one, pieces moved the audience to tears, from the tributes to Chantel Crump to Festival Alum Tyrell “TJ” Buckley.  

The duet category moved the audience with solemn pieces from Antigua Girls High School, All Saints Secondary School, and Jennings Secondary School, to delightful, high-energy performances and stories from Princess Margaret School, Ottos Comprehensive School, and Sir Novelle Richards Academy. OCS took the older audience down a nostalgic lane, singing along to the theme song from Dirty Dancing: the duo brought the audience on a fun journey of courtship, proposal, and eventual wedding. PMS added a sprinkle of Latin spice to their fast-paced reggaeton number, showcasing the dancers’ skills and agility. AGHS’s duet featured dynamic movements that illustrated the story of friendship. SNRA had the audience in stitches as the character of ‘Anxiety’ comically annoyed the other dancer with whimsical movements. 

In the group category of the dance, the storytelling among various groups proved powerful, from SNRA’s “Hunger Games” to AGHS’ interpretation of the “Fallen Ones”. OCS brought the audience to attention with their call to the Orishas for protection over the nation’s children. PMS and ASSS brought patriotism with their blend of Afro-Caribbean and Folk to local songs, while St Mary’s Secondary School ended the evening with a fun J’ouvert routine to the song Greatest Bend Over.

The Instructors’ Improvisation was a new and welcome category. It was a treat for the students. The participants were Taren Weston of PMS, Bryan Nurse of AGHS/SMSS, James Reyes of SNRA, and Thyana Sebastian of ASSS. From graceful leaps and ripped-off shirts to controlled movements and passionate successions and extensions, the students and audience cheered in awe of their teachers.  

To say Antigua and Barbuda is overflowing with talent is an understatement. The week’s display of drama and dance amplified the need for more creative art programmes and a fully equipped (and properly built) performance arts space.