Development Bank partners with Rotary Club of Liamuiga to host inaugural Dance Xplosion

Ms Danienne Brin (3rd right) presenting Development Bank’s Bronze Sponsorship cheque to the treasurer of RCL Young Adults Dance Competition Committee, Ms Chérisse Gardner. Others in the picture are from right, Secretary to the Committee Ms Tuffida Steward, PRO to the Committee, Dr Marcus Natta, and Chairman of the Committee and Past President, Mr Eustace Warner.

Basseterre St. Kitts (September 26, 2012) — The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, in recognising the vast potential in the country’s young adults that still needs to be unearthed, is partnering with the Rotary Club of Liamuiga in hosting the inaugural Dance Xplosion for young adults carded for October and November.

“The world is going through a very challenging period and whatever it takes to assist the young adults to discover and to nurture their creative juices will always be given a priority at the Development Bank,” said the Bank’s Executive Assistant, Ms Danienne Brin.

“The bulk of our clientele is made up persons in that age bracket and it is our expressed desire to see them utilising those talents as that would help them in more ways than one. Dance is no longer a pastime the way we saw it in years gone by. One can earn a decent living from dancing.”

The Rotary Club of Liamuiga has been preparing to host its inaugural Young Adults Dance Competition under the theme ‘Dance Xplosion — This is Your Chance2Dance!’ and has put in place a committee to oversee the finer details of the competition. The committee is chaired by past President, and current Vice President, Mr Eustace Warner.

According to the committee’s PRO, Dr Marcus Natta, eliminations will be held at the Basseterre High School Auditorium on Saturday October 20 from 4:00 pm, while the finals will be held at the Carnival Village on Saturday November 10 from 8:00 pm.

“Dance Xplosion is a dance competition for young adults, between ages 16 and 30,” observed Dr Natta. “It is a new venture for the Rotary Club of Liamuiga and the whole thrust behind it is to encourage young persons to express themselves through different art forms of dance.”

Competition is open to persons in the age bracket 16-30, from both St. Kitts and Nevis. There will be a group category where the dancers can have two to six persons in a group, and there will be individual categories as well where persons could perform solo.

According to Dr Natta, there are a lot of dance groups as dance in very big in St. Kitts and Nevis. He however lamented that there was no true competition for groups and individuals and the reason the Rotary Club of Liamuiga, through its past President Mr Eustace Warner, came up with the idea of the competition.

He advised those interested that the cut off date for applications will be Monday October 15. He observed that there are four categories; socca/calypso, dancehall/reggae, African/Afro-centric, and the free style category, where one could do ballet, tap-dance, salsa, marenge, or hip-hop. Competitors will be expected to present original pieces.

“There is no registration fee, but they get paid when they win,” advised Dr Natta. “We do have entrance fees in mind but we have not disclosed those yet. You would have to pay to enter. The eliminations will be a little less than the cost for the finals.”

Dance Xplosion was the brainchild of past President Mr Eustace Warner, who noted that dance “is one of our basic cultural activities. From the time we are born we are dancers, but what I found is that over the years the emphasis has been placed on vocal.

“And so, I a dancer in my own right felt it was time that we did something locally to produce more talent in dancing environment. I think there is an abundance of talent here in St. Kitts and Nevis that can be showcased through this medium.”

The Rotary Club of Liamuiga is seeking corporate sponsorship for the event, and according to the President Mr Lester Hanley there are four categories of sponsorships, Gold Sponsorship, Silver Sponsorship, Bronze Sponsorship and DX Contributor. Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis has come on board as a Bronze Sponsor.

“We have to realise these times we are in, in St. Kitts and Nevis those persons that are corporate minded have come out to support everything that we are doing as an NGO in the community,” said President Hanley. “Where we do look for and hope to receive more support, we have to be thankful for those persons that do step up and help like the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis.”