By Natasha G. Samuels
Zahra Redwood, 25, is the first Miss Jamaica to be crowned from the country’s Rastafarian faith and the first contestant to compete in the Miss Universe pageant with dreadlocks. While the University of West Indies graduate certainly met the standards (intelligence, articulate, beauty, cultured), her win symbolized acceptance (finally) of the countries minority religious sect.
Rastafarianism emerged in Jamaica in the 1930’s as a result of an interpretation of a Biblical prophecy based on the coronation of Ethiopia’s former Emperor, Haile Selassie I. Reggae artists such as Bob Marley brought the religion’s message of peaceful coexistence marijuana use and African repatriation to the world in the 70’s. Despite their positive contributions to Jamaican culture, Rastas’ have not always been accepted due to their traditional appearance and marijuana rituals. Zahra’s win was a victory for Rastafarians all over the world. Her crowning and participation in the Miss Universe pageant also brought relief to black women whose subjection to the good hair bad hair debates left psychological scars on their self-esteem.
During the live televised Miss Universe contest, it was amazing to see the “vilified” hair streaming down the shoulders of this confident black sister who embraced her hair not because she was trying to make a statement but because this is who she has been from birth. As a result, Zahra never considered that her hair would hinder or aid her chances in the pageant. In an interview with the Jamaican Observer shortly after her April 2007 win, Zahra said, “I really didn’t think of it at all. I am a package; my hair is not a separate entity…so I entered based on the characteristics that all contestants were asked to have, and I fit those.”
There was a lot of media focus on Zahra’s and Miss Tanzania (Flaviana Matata, who was hairless,) because the two contestants didn’t exactly fit the mold of traditional contestants who compete with coifed and fluffed manes of hair. Regarding comments that hers and Miss Tanzania’s entry changed the face of the pageant---she said “change is inevitable, so naturally something like this would have had to happen.” The questions (much of it from the international media) regarding her hair are not new to her either. In a recent interview with WE Zahra said, “from ever since I’ve been growing up I’ve been getting those kinds of questions. I’m just so used to all of that.” She said the questions regarding her hair started since primary school days and came from teachers, students, or people on the road. “I’ve just become accustomed to responding to those questions politely that right now it’s not a huge difference. To international persons locks is a part of the identity of a Jamaican so it actually never matter whether or not, as a matter of fact when you do have locks as a Jamaican the international forum actually sees you as an authentic Jamaican and that was the feed back I was getting when we first made our presentations of our costumes,” she said.
Despite the media attention, she says she was not disappointed in not reaching the coveted top 15. “In everything you do, there must be something gained from it,” she said. She is however satisfied that she was able to make an impression and that she was able to inspire greater self-esteem and awareness in black people and black women.
Currently, Zahra is juggling her busy schedule as Miss Jamaica with a new position as a Medical Representative for Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals in Jamaica. She is planning to publish a book, which will showcase her most glamorous hairstyles, which she styles herself. Her reign as Miss Jamaica ends April 2008.
Showing posts with label WE People. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WE People. Show all posts
Monday, March 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
WE PEOPLE - Ma$tamind Productions: Making Beautiful Music Together
By Karen L. Richardson
Over in Brooklyn, there’s a couple mixing business with pleasure, and doing it very well. Shawn Noel and his no-nonsense bride, Natasha, are the dynamic duo behind Ma$tamind Productions. He composes award-winning Soca productions, while she handles the daily grind of management.
First founded in March 2005, the full-service music production and management company already boasts five albums in their catalogue. A Ma$tamind Christmas II is right on time for the holidays. “Ponche de Crème, which is the instrumental track, may be my favourite [on the album], because it reminds me so much of what I used to do growing up,” says Noel. Shawn who grew up in Siparia, Trinidad in a family of Parranderros remembers going house to house at Christmas time playing the cuatro with Dulzura Caliente. His brother, who is the artiste known as Mista Shak, played pan. Mommy sang lead vocals and Daddy played guitar. He’s come a long way from his parang-playing days, and that’s where Natasha comes in.
The couple met in 2003 when Shawn was the keyboardist for the band Asylum. At the time, Natasha Andrews was managing a Brooklyn-based band called Cloud 9. “I didn’t know who he was, but I was in the middle of a meeting and he just sort of barged in. I said, ‘I’m having a meeting, please leave.’ I was rude, as he puts it,” says Natasha about the day she met her husband and teammate.
It was business at first sight. “When I met her, I liked how she handled stuff. She was very business oriented. She’s always coming up with ideas,” says Shawn. “She’s very resourceful and knows how to use whatever is at our disposal to find some way to promote the company through it. Yeah, she’s really the mastermind.”
In the music industry Shawn is known as ‘Da Ma$tamind’, having produced music for Trinidad’s musical elite. That includes A-listers such as Bunji Garlin, Machel Montano and Shurwayne Winchester. Now operating from the US, he has lent his technical expertise to Grenada’s Sheldon Douglas, St. Vincent’s Bomani, and U.S. acts alike. In just shy of three years, the resulting resume is virtually endless.
The team will be releasing their latest CD this month. Da Mastamind Project 3 will be available on iTunes and in stores early December. The compilation is home to an impressive list 2008 Trinidad Carnival releases; from Crazy, to Rikki Jai, Leon Coldero, Pelf, Third Bass and 3Suns. On De Tail Gone, Shawn Noel offers his voice to a humorous poke at women who use hair weave. “We were just sitting here hanging,” says Shawn, “Natasha was on Facebook looking at a group called Save a Horse, Stop Wearing Weave. Patch went home and did some lyrics.” Shawn built the beats.
Natasha builds a healthy home and business by setting boundaries. “It’s very hard being married and running a business. Like Shawn says, ‘I don’t even know what I get into, if yuh is my wife or my manager,’” says Natasha. She insists on sticking to a schedule. The home-business operates during set hours, ensuring one-on-one time for the couple. Shawn praises this structure for preventing work from interfering in their relationship. However, the lines do get crossed sometimes. “A lot of times I just find out about these ideas, because Tasha would jump out of de shower and say, ‘I have an idea.’ I would be like, oh gosh, this means more work!” says Shawn.
“I pray all the time to ask God to guide us to make the right decisions,” says Natasha. Not all decisions come easily. The Noels just celebrated two years of marriage on November 25, but there are no plans to hear the pitter patter of little ma$taminds.
“We’re really not able to do that right now because we’re always busy, always on the go. She never wanted to either, it was me. I was undecided, ‘cause you see them. Oh gosh they so cute!” says Shawn. Even without children, it’s obvious that Shawn Noel and Natasha Andrews-Noel have a good thing going on their own. Shawn agrees, “They always say behind every good man is good woman, but my woman not behind, she beside, and she’s great.”
Over in Brooklyn, there’s a couple mixing business with pleasure, and doing it very well. Shawn Noel and his no-nonsense bride, Natasha, are the dynamic duo behind Ma$tamind Productions. He composes award-winning Soca productions, while she handles the daily grind of management.
First founded in March 2005, the full-service music production and management company already boasts five albums in their catalogue. A Ma$tamind Christmas II is right on time for the holidays. “Ponche de Crème, which is the instrumental track, may be my favourite [on the album], because it reminds me so much of what I used to do growing up,” says Noel. Shawn who grew up in Siparia, Trinidad in a family of Parranderros remembers going house to house at Christmas time playing the cuatro with Dulzura Caliente. His brother, who is the artiste known as Mista Shak, played pan. Mommy sang lead vocals and Daddy played guitar. He’s come a long way from his parang-playing days, and that’s where Natasha comes in.
The couple met in 2003 when Shawn was the keyboardist for the band Asylum. At the time, Natasha Andrews was managing a Brooklyn-based band called Cloud 9. “I didn’t know who he was, but I was in the middle of a meeting and he just sort of barged in. I said, ‘I’m having a meeting, please leave.’ I was rude, as he puts it,” says Natasha about the day she met her husband and teammate.
It was business at first sight. “When I met her, I liked how she handled stuff. She was very business oriented. She’s always coming up with ideas,” says Shawn. “She’s very resourceful and knows how to use whatever is at our disposal to find some way to promote the company through it. Yeah, she’s really the mastermind.”
In the music industry Shawn is known as ‘Da Ma$tamind’, having produced music for Trinidad’s musical elite. That includes A-listers such as Bunji Garlin, Machel Montano and Shurwayne Winchester. Now operating from the US, he has lent his technical expertise to Grenada’s Sheldon Douglas, St. Vincent’s Bomani, and U.S. acts alike. In just shy of three years, the resulting resume is virtually endless.
The team will be releasing their latest CD this month. Da Mastamind Project 3 will be available on iTunes and in stores early December. The compilation is home to an impressive list 2008 Trinidad Carnival releases; from Crazy, to Rikki Jai, Leon Coldero, Pelf, Third Bass and 3Suns. On De Tail Gone, Shawn Noel offers his voice to a humorous poke at women who use hair weave. “We were just sitting here hanging,” says Shawn, “Natasha was on Facebook looking at a group called Save a Horse, Stop Wearing Weave. Patch went home and did some lyrics.” Shawn built the beats.
Natasha builds a healthy home and business by setting boundaries. “It’s very hard being married and running a business. Like Shawn says, ‘I don’t even know what I get into, if yuh is my wife or my manager,’” says Natasha. She insists on sticking to a schedule. The home-business operates during set hours, ensuring one-on-one time for the couple. Shawn praises this structure for preventing work from interfering in their relationship. However, the lines do get crossed sometimes. “A lot of times I just find out about these ideas, because Tasha would jump out of de shower and say, ‘I have an idea.’ I would be like, oh gosh, this means more work!” says Shawn.
“I pray all the time to ask God to guide us to make the right decisions,” says Natasha. Not all decisions come easily. The Noels just celebrated two years of marriage on November 25, but there are no plans to hear the pitter patter of little ma$taminds.
“We’re really not able to do that right now because we’re always busy, always on the go. She never wanted to either, it was me. I was undecided, ‘cause you see them. Oh gosh they so cute!” says Shawn. Even without children, it’s obvious that Shawn Noel and Natasha Andrews-Noel have a good thing going on their own. Shawn agrees, “They always say behind every good man is good woman, but my woman not behind, she beside, and she’s great.”
Thursday, November 22, 2007
WE People – Atiba Hutchinson - The Future of Canadian Soccer
By Stacey Marie Robinson
After traveling over 6,000 kilometres from Copenhagen to Toronto, Atiba Hutchinson anticipated a warmer reception from Canadian soccer fans at the BMO Field. The stadium that was regularly filled with 20,000 supporters during the FIFA U-20 World Cup this summer, only had a fraction of viewers when the Canadian national team challenged Costa Rica to a friendly match on September 11. The 9,300 spectators were dressed in black and noticeably somber, reminding Hutchinson and his teammates that the game going on with Canadian soccer was much larger than the one being played on the field.
With the recent resignation of the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) President, Colin Linford, the drama has been evident to all. In fact, Toronto FC fans and supporters of the Voyageurs soccer club would like the entire governing body of the CSA replaced, to ensure that the national team has a chance at the World Cup in 2010. Black t-shirts, sported proudly at the game, read: “Sack the CSA,” “Support Our National Teams,” and “Canadian Soccer Deserves Better.”
The national team is currently ranked 53rd in the world, with its first and only FIFA World Cup appearance in 1986. They have, however, had success in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) winning the Gold Cup in 2000, and gaining a third place finish in 2002. Under the leadership of head coach Dale Mitchell, they have also made the semi-finals of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Hutchinson reflected on his opportunity to play in Toronto -- the first home game for the national team in 7 years.
“I was expecting a better response, for my first game in Toronto,” said Hutchinson, surprised by the black-wearing crowd. “It’s nice to play at home, but it could have been a better experience. At the end of the day, it’s a good feeling to be home, and I was still happy to be out there.”
The game ended in a draw with Canada tying Costa Rica 1-1, with the Canadian goal scored by Dwayne De Rosario. By the following evening, Hutchinson, who succumbed to an ankle injury during the first half of the match, would return to Copenhagen.
Hutchinson, 24, started his career in his hometown of Brampton with the Braves, continuing to play with the York Region Shooters, the Toronto Lynx, and then across the Atlantic to Sweeden’s Osters IF and Helsingborgs IF. Along with playing for the Canadian men’s national team, the midfielder also represented his country in the Men’s Olympic U-23 and Men’s Youth U-20. In January 2006, he settled in Denmark with the F.C. Copenhagen in the Danish Superliga, for 4.5 years.
“Denmark is a nice place; very friendly;” said Hutchinson of his new home. “It’s a different lifestyle though, very laid back and easy going, so it was easy to adjust to.” After a slow start, Hutchinson adapted well to the country, and enjoys the camaraderie of his teammates, mainly Englishmen.
While his love for soccer has managed to follow him around the world, unfortunately the joys of his Trinidadian culture are nowhere to be found, once he touches down in Denmark. Hutchinson, who hasn’t been able to attend Caribana festivities in at least five years, said he often longs for West Indian people, flavours and customs that were always accessible growing up in Toronto.
“I miss it more than I can even describe,” he said, explaining his gratitude for the times his mother is able to visit him, and cook his favourite dishes.
This is the reality for many of Canada’s soccer stars who travel abroad for professional opportunities, rarely having the chance to enjoy the game in their own country.
Although he hopes to one day play in England, following the footsteps of Trinidad’s Dwight Yorke, a player he has always admired, Hutchinson believes that he will one day come home. “I do want to eventually come back to live in Canada,” he said. “I would like to retire here.”
Many fans of Hutchinson and Canadian soccer also hope that sooner than later, the Canadian national team will develop a strong enough foundation to support athletes like Hutchinson and countless others who will also benefit from a tight national system and generous internal maintainance. It is the dream of many that Canada’s soccer stars will one day find it lucrative to simply, stay in Canada.
After traveling over 6,000 kilometres from Copenhagen to Toronto, Atiba Hutchinson anticipated a warmer reception from Canadian soccer fans at the BMO Field. The stadium that was regularly filled with 20,000 supporters during the FIFA U-20 World Cup this summer, only had a fraction of viewers when the Canadian national team challenged Costa Rica to a friendly match on September 11. The 9,300 spectators were dressed in black and noticeably somber, reminding Hutchinson and his teammates that the game going on with Canadian soccer was much larger than the one being played on the field.
With the recent resignation of the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) President, Colin Linford, the drama has been evident to all. In fact, Toronto FC fans and supporters of the Voyageurs soccer club would like the entire governing body of the CSA replaced, to ensure that the national team has a chance at the World Cup in 2010. Black t-shirts, sported proudly at the game, read: “Sack the CSA,” “Support Our National Teams,” and “Canadian Soccer Deserves Better.”
The national team is currently ranked 53rd in the world, with its first and only FIFA World Cup appearance in 1986. They have, however, had success in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) winning the Gold Cup in 2000, and gaining a third place finish in 2002. Under the leadership of head coach Dale Mitchell, they have also made the semi-finals of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Hutchinson reflected on his opportunity to play in Toronto -- the first home game for the national team in 7 years.
“I was expecting a better response, for my first game in Toronto,” said Hutchinson, surprised by the black-wearing crowd. “It’s nice to play at home, but it could have been a better experience. At the end of the day, it’s a good feeling to be home, and I was still happy to be out there.”
The game ended in a draw with Canada tying Costa Rica 1-1, with the Canadian goal scored by Dwayne De Rosario. By the following evening, Hutchinson, who succumbed to an ankle injury during the first half of the match, would return to Copenhagen.
Hutchinson, 24, started his career in his hometown of Brampton with the Braves, continuing to play with the York Region Shooters, the Toronto Lynx, and then across the Atlantic to Sweeden’s Osters IF and Helsingborgs IF. Along with playing for the Canadian men’s national team, the midfielder also represented his country in the Men’s Olympic U-23 and Men’s Youth U-20. In January 2006, he settled in Denmark with the F.C. Copenhagen in the Danish Superliga, for 4.5 years.
“Denmark is a nice place; very friendly;” said Hutchinson of his new home. “It’s a different lifestyle though, very laid back and easy going, so it was easy to adjust to.” After a slow start, Hutchinson adapted well to the country, and enjoys the camaraderie of his teammates, mainly Englishmen.
While his love for soccer has managed to follow him around the world, unfortunately the joys of his Trinidadian culture are nowhere to be found, once he touches down in Denmark. Hutchinson, who hasn’t been able to attend Caribana festivities in at least five years, said he often longs for West Indian people, flavours and customs that were always accessible growing up in Toronto.
“I miss it more than I can even describe,” he said, explaining his gratitude for the times his mother is able to visit him, and cook his favourite dishes.
This is the reality for many of Canada’s soccer stars who travel abroad for professional opportunities, rarely having the chance to enjoy the game in their own country.
Although he hopes to one day play in England, following the footsteps of Trinidad’s Dwight Yorke, a player he has always admired, Hutchinson believes that he will one day come home. “I do want to eventually come back to live in Canada,” he said. “I would like to retire here.”
Many fans of Hutchinson and Canadian soccer also hope that sooner than later, the Canadian national team will develop a strong enough foundation to support athletes like Hutchinson and countless others who will also benefit from a tight national system and generous internal maintainance. It is the dream of many that Canada’s soccer stars will one day find it lucrative to simply, stay in Canada.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
WE People - Rhoma Spencer
Actress, Playwright, Broadcast Journalist – a force to be reckoned with
by Nathalie Taghaboni
Where do you begin with Rhoma Spencer? Her accomplishments are many, her talents myriad. She is a one woman cultural bridge to the Caribbean and she flatly refuses to water down or compromise all that she offers to the arts.
“I bound to, must to, have to – return to the region frequently in order to give this country the authentic Caribbean.” says Rhoma in an interview with WE magazine. “I cannot feed off of anything here. This environment doesn’t allow me as a Caribbean artist, to do the work I have to do in order to bring authenticity to the stage. And while I am an Afro-Caribbean woman, I identify with all that is Caribbean, the Dutch, French, Spanish Caribbean, the Arawaks and Caribs – their histories are all part of me. I am very much a ‘Caribbeanist’. Yes I am a Trinidadian but I identify with the entire region.”
Rhoma was born in Curepe, Trinidad and spent over 10 years in Tobago as a child. She studied theatre at the University of the West Indies and later came to Toronto’s York University to complete her Masters in Theatre.
Ms Spencer is the director and founder of Theatre Archipelago which began in 2004. It is the Theatre’s mandate to present work from the pan Caribbean and to this end Rhoma visits and works with cultural companies and artists throughout the islands, including those islands about whom we may not hear much, perhaps due to access, language or other barriers. Rhoma will be heading to Surinam shortly to work with Henk Tjon – a man she describes as ‘”the ultimate Caribbean director”.
During the first few seasons of Theatre Archipelago, Rhoma noted her audience to be made up largely of academics and non Caribbean people – people who were interested in the culture. But over the past two or three seasons she has noticed a shift that brought more and more people of Caribbean descent. “By virtue of the nature of the particular play I am presenting, I would notice the change in audience demographics. If I am putting on a play that is Jamaican or Trinidadian, the audience tends to reflect that. Mind you, some plays and playwrights cross all borders, so for example when I presented Twilight Café earlier this year - a play by Tony Hall, the same author who did Jean and Dinah, the audience was very pan Caribbean.”
Theatre Archipelago’s presentations have all been critically acclaimed by Toronto’s media. “But”, says Rhoma, “now and then you will notice in a review, that there is a lack of knowledge of the culture presented in the play”. The reviewer may see the presentation as an exotic one and niche it as such.
A dream very close to Rhoma’s heart is to create theatre facilities for individual theatre performances with focus on Caribbean theatre. “Canada needs to see the real Caribbean theatre,” emphasizes Rhoma, ‘as opposed to the beaded and feathered Las Vegas or Broadway version that they have been fed for so long. They don’t know us well and we need to change that.”
In 2006 Theatre Archipelago offered a taste of that authenticity at the Caribana parade with a presentation of an ‘ole mas’ band. “Police tried to stop us!” laughs Rhoma wryly. “They thought we were protesters because they just did not know. They were used to the bra and panty mas. We have to educate Canada. We have to tell them about the beginnings, the roots of how we started long before we got to the pretty mas. In essence we are responsible for how we are viewed.”
Rhoma credits Ronald Amarosa as being the one person who turned the tide towards theatre as her career. He was Rhoma’s first director in ‘Best Village’ performances in Trinidad and nurtured in her the abiding love of the stage. “To this day, with all the degrees and international accolades, it is Best Village theatre that comes out of me. It is the truest form of drama and national theatre in Trinidad.”
Information on Theatre Archipelago may be obtained online at www.theatrearchipelago.ca
by Nathalie Taghaboni
Where do you begin with Rhoma Spencer? Her accomplishments are many, her talents myriad. She is a one woman cultural bridge to the Caribbean and she flatly refuses to water down or compromise all that she offers to the arts.
“I bound to, must to, have to – return to the region frequently in order to give this country the authentic Caribbean.” says Rhoma in an interview with WE magazine. “I cannot feed off of anything here. This environment doesn’t allow me as a Caribbean artist, to do the work I have to do in order to bring authenticity to the stage. And while I am an Afro-Caribbean woman, I identify with all that is Caribbean, the Dutch, French, Spanish Caribbean, the Arawaks and Caribs – their histories are all part of me. I am very much a ‘Caribbeanist’. Yes I am a Trinidadian but I identify with the entire region.”
Rhoma was born in Curepe, Trinidad and spent over 10 years in Tobago as a child. She studied theatre at the University of the West Indies and later came to Toronto’s York University to complete her Masters in Theatre.
Ms Spencer is the director and founder of Theatre Archipelago which began in 2004. It is the Theatre’s mandate to present work from the pan Caribbean and to this end Rhoma visits and works with cultural companies and artists throughout the islands, including those islands about whom we may not hear much, perhaps due to access, language or other barriers. Rhoma will be heading to Surinam shortly to work with Henk Tjon – a man she describes as ‘”the ultimate Caribbean director”.
During the first few seasons of Theatre Archipelago, Rhoma noted her audience to be made up largely of academics and non Caribbean people – people who were interested in the culture. But over the past two or three seasons she has noticed a shift that brought more and more people of Caribbean descent. “By virtue of the nature of the particular play I am presenting, I would notice the change in audience demographics. If I am putting on a play that is Jamaican or Trinidadian, the audience tends to reflect that. Mind you, some plays and playwrights cross all borders, so for example when I presented Twilight Café earlier this year - a play by Tony Hall, the same author who did Jean and Dinah, the audience was very pan Caribbean.”
Theatre Archipelago’s presentations have all been critically acclaimed by Toronto’s media. “But”, says Rhoma, “now and then you will notice in a review, that there is a lack of knowledge of the culture presented in the play”. The reviewer may see the presentation as an exotic one and niche it as such.
A dream very close to Rhoma’s heart is to create theatre facilities for individual theatre performances with focus on Caribbean theatre. “Canada needs to see the real Caribbean theatre,” emphasizes Rhoma, ‘as opposed to the beaded and feathered Las Vegas or Broadway version that they have been fed for so long. They don’t know us well and we need to change that.”
In 2006 Theatre Archipelago offered a taste of that authenticity at the Caribana parade with a presentation of an ‘ole mas’ band. “Police tried to stop us!” laughs Rhoma wryly. “They thought we were protesters because they just did not know. They were used to the bra and panty mas. We have to educate Canada. We have to tell them about the beginnings, the roots of how we started long before we got to the pretty mas. In essence we are responsible for how we are viewed.”
Rhoma credits Ronald Amarosa as being the one person who turned the tide towards theatre as her career. He was Rhoma’s first director in ‘Best Village’ performances in Trinidad and nurtured in her the abiding love of the stage. “To this day, with all the degrees and international accolades, it is Best Village theatre that comes out of me. It is the truest form of drama and national theatre in Trinidad.”
Information on Theatre Archipelago may be obtained online at www.theatrearchipelago.ca
WE People - Les Birch: Don’t Shoot The Camera Man
by Krysta Celestine
For Trinidadian-Canadian Les Birch, working in the film industry has always been a dream. But it wasn’t until he travelled to Trinidad that he realized that he really had a passion for it. “I had a cousin (in Trinidad) who always wanted me to film things that were going on out in Toronto,” says Birch. “Pretty soon I was bringing him low budget music videos shot on camcorders and interviews with local artists, and my desire to create quality projects was born.”
And before he knew it, Les was making his dream a reality. In March of 2006, the 29 year old Videographer/Editor’s Hip Hop documentary, “Take a Trip”, which chronicled the lives of up-and-coming artists from Baltimore, Atlanta, Montreal and Toronto, premiered to a packed house at Brampton’s Heritage Theatre. With such a receptive wide audience and impressive camera work, one would never guess that Birch has just three years of “professional” experience under his belt.
And yet in such a short space of time, he’s accomplished things that newcomers to the industry can only dream of: from designing Electronic Press Kits (EPKs) for Rocafella recording artist Tru-Life and The Dungeon Family’s head producer, Rico Wade; working behind the camera for 90s rapper Vanilla Ice’s “come back” attempt and a red carpet P-Diddy party; to two nominations for best music video of the year at the MAJA awards, which recognizes excellence in Canadian Gospel music; and a Covenant Award nomination by the Gospel Music Association of Canada.
Whew! Les is hardly a novice. Yet one can not help but think that jumping from Hip Hop to Gospel is a gigantic leap. But it’s a genre that he’s been working in for a while now. “A Hip Hop gospel recording artist named Malichi Male saw my work and got in touch with me to do a video for him. That music video ran for over a year across Canada, and got nominated for a couple awards. Since then, we’ve collaborated on several projects including a couple other music videos, a documentary, and a few commercials. Other artists in the same genre have seen my work and so far I’ve kept pretty busy.”
Although working with Gospel artists keeps him “busy”, make no mistake that Les has a genuine love for Gospel, crediting it as a diversion from the “Bling Bling” mentality that seems to be permeating Hip Hop today. “I enjoy working with gospel artists because their music is still about relaying a message”, says Birch. “Nowadays it’s hard to separate music from marketing. It seems like everything is about selling a lifestyle---clothes, jewellery, cars etcetera…so it’s refreshing to create things that have a distinct and positive objective.
While he recognizes that the industry is fickle --“one minute you’re relevant, next minute you’re not”, he is thankful that he’s had the opportunities that he’s had, and his biggest goal, he says is to “stay grounded and true to my beliefs, and to keep pushing”.
Don’t expect him to stop now. “I got something really exciting coming up”, he teases. “It’s a script I’ve been sitting on for a while. It’s a comedy. All I can say is, no one has seen anything like this, and we’re still looking for investors. Hint Hint”, he laughs.
For more information on Les Birch’s work, visit http://www.birchconcepts.com/
Friday, September 7, 2007
WE People - CLARENCE FORD - Cirque Du Soleil - Kooza
This dynamic Toronto native has choreographed performances for top musicians, Hollywood movies, Olympic medalists and now the Cirque Du Soleil hit Kooza…and he always remembers to give thanks to his city.
By Stacey Marie Robinson
Toronto-born choreographer Clarence Ford has effortlessly evolved from a teenager grooving on CityTV’s dance show Boogie and touring with the dance troupe Soul Express, to designing the intricate movements in the spectacular Cirque Du Soleil production, Kooza. He travels the world, coordinating routines, directing documentaries, and taking in a variation of shows in his spare time. Among his many passions, Ford has deep love and appreciation for his hometown, and the opportunities it has presented him with.
Even in the midst of the hit show Kooza, Ford still reflects on the importance of his culture, and how it easily translates to the stage. This experience has allowed him to bring his natural element of urban movement to traditional circus performers. Ford has been praised for allowing the cast to also develop their own personal language of motion within the production, heartily encouraged in rehearsals with his ritual James Brown-inspired warm up.
Kooza, written and directed by David Shiner, combines the circus traditions of clowning and acrobatic performance, using slapstick humour and extravagant colours. Shiner notes that the production is about “human connection and the world of duality, good and bad,” featuring characters like the Trickster, the Pickpocket, and the Obnoxious Tourist.
Ford finds that working with the diverse cast has provided an enriching experience for him. He stressed the understanding of cultures, and the unique opportunity of working and growing as an artist through these experiences; important lessons learned growing up in one of the world’s most multicultural cities.
“It’s a really great business,” said Ford who plans to continue to create masterpieces within all facets of the arts and show business. “Toronto is the kind of place where you can find work as an artist, and grow. A lot of people think you have to go to the United States to find opportunities, but you can stay in Toronto, work your craft, and get it tight.”
Whenever his schedule brings him back home, Ford makes sure to extend the Cirque Du Soleil experience to the city’s youth, giving them the opportunity to sit in on rehearsals and cast workshops. He recognizes the importance of being able to dream, and having access to new endeavours. Ford is eager and proud to share his passion with the young people of Toronto’s communities.
It’s Ford’s ability to combine his eclectic background, and repertoire of cultures that makes him able to relate to the Toronto public and give them a great show, leaving audiences at the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Ford notes that Toronto audiences require, and deserve, nothing less than a high grade of talent.
Since Kooza’s Toronto debut on August 9 at the Grand Chapiteau at the Port Lands (at Cherry and Commissioner Streets), Ford admits that he still can’t get enough of the show. Not only to watch the death-defying acrobatics and his carefully constructed choreography, but simply just to enjoy the spectacle of it all.
“Cirque de Soleil has changed the world of entertainment,” said Ford. “We have some of the best circus acts in the world. It’s a great show; a circus with a story.” This story of identity, recognition and power will continue to amaze Kooza’s Toronto audience until October of this year.
“I’ve seen about 50 shows already,” said Ford. “And I can’t get tired of it.”
(Tickets for Kooza can be purchased online at www.cirquedusoleil.com or by calling 1-800-361-4595.)
By Stacey Marie Robinson
Toronto-born choreographer Clarence Ford has effortlessly evolved from a teenager grooving on CityTV’s dance show Boogie and touring with the dance troupe Soul Express, to designing the intricate movements in the spectacular Cirque Du Soleil production, Kooza. He travels the world, coordinating routines, directing documentaries, and taking in a variation of shows in his spare time. Among his many passions, Ford has deep love and appreciation for his hometown, and the opportunities it has presented him with.
Even in the midst of the hit show Kooza, Ford still reflects on the importance of his culture, and how it easily translates to the stage. This experience has allowed him to bring his natural element of urban movement to traditional circus performers. Ford has been praised for allowing the cast to also develop their own personal language of motion within the production, heartily encouraged in rehearsals with his ritual James Brown-inspired warm up.
Kooza, written and directed by David Shiner, combines the circus traditions of clowning and acrobatic performance, using slapstick humour and extravagant colours. Shiner notes that the production is about “human connection and the world of duality, good and bad,” featuring characters like the Trickster, the Pickpocket, and the Obnoxious Tourist.
Ford finds that working with the diverse cast has provided an enriching experience for him. He stressed the understanding of cultures, and the unique opportunity of working and growing as an artist through these experiences; important lessons learned growing up in one of the world’s most multicultural cities.
“It’s a really great business,” said Ford who plans to continue to create masterpieces within all facets of the arts and show business. “Toronto is the kind of place where you can find work as an artist, and grow. A lot of people think you have to go to the United States to find opportunities, but you can stay in Toronto, work your craft, and get it tight.”
Whenever his schedule brings him back home, Ford makes sure to extend the Cirque Du Soleil experience to the city’s youth, giving them the opportunity to sit in on rehearsals and cast workshops. He recognizes the importance of being able to dream, and having access to new endeavours. Ford is eager and proud to share his passion with the young people of Toronto’s communities.
It’s Ford’s ability to combine his eclectic background, and repertoire of cultures that makes him able to relate to the Toronto public and give them a great show, leaving audiences at the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Ford notes that Toronto audiences require, and deserve, nothing less than a high grade of talent.
Since Kooza’s Toronto debut on August 9 at the Grand Chapiteau at the Port Lands (at Cherry and Commissioner Streets), Ford admits that he still can’t get enough of the show. Not only to watch the death-defying acrobatics and his carefully constructed choreography, but simply just to enjoy the spectacle of it all.
“Cirque de Soleil has changed the world of entertainment,” said Ford. “We have some of the best circus acts in the world. It’s a great show; a circus with a story.” This story of identity, recognition and power will continue to amaze Kooza’s Toronto audience until October of this year.
“I’ve seen about 50 shows already,” said Ford. “And I can’t get tired of it.”
(Tickets for Kooza can be purchased online at www.cirquedusoleil.com or by calling 1-800-361-4595.)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Marcus Eustace: D’ Man Behind D’ Mas
by Marie Fleming
Marcus Eustace is the engineer behind many winning costume pieces participating in both Trinidad and Toronto Carnivals. Son of Mr. Tedder Eustace, a man known for his great contribution to Trinidad Carnival for over 40 years, Marcus is the man behind all the glam and glitter displayed each year at the annual Dimanche Gras and Kings & Queens competition. Over the years we have become very familiar with the ‘Eustace’ name in relation to Trinidad Carnival and Toronto Caribana events. Born Trinidadian, Marcus Eustace, along with his brother Curtis fell in line under their father’s direction building ‘mas’ from a very young age. Mas-making quickly became rooted deep down in his veins and is now part of who he is.
At the age of sixteen, Marcus along with his brother moved to Toronto where they quickly got involved with Saldenah Mas Band through their father’s relationship and involvement with the band. Marcus stood by his father’s side learning all there was to know about mas-making and mas winning. Tedder Eustace has three winning titles to his name from the Dimanche Gras competition in 1975, 1977 and 1985, with the winning costumes entitled ‘Cock Fight’, ‘King Corbeau’, and ‘The Big Fisherman’ respectively.
Marcus Eustace worked hand in hand with his father over the years making dazzling costumes to present for the Saldenah Mas competitions up until 2001 when his father, Tedder Eustace, passed. From then on, Marcus knew it was his responsibility to carry on the Eustace name. Since the death of his hero and loving father, on Dec 31 2001, Marcus has managed to solely design and build 6 Kings to participate in the National Dimanche Gras competition held annually as a part of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival events. Remarkably 5 have won.
In a recent interview done with Marcus Eustace exclusively for WE Mag, Marcus described his role in mas-making as the “designer and constructer of it all”. Marcus’ brother, Curtis Eustace, portrays all his work at the Trinidad competition, while Rudy Rampersad does the portrayals in Toronto at the annual King and Queen competition. When questioned about his feelings towards having the portrayer getting all the credit for the wins, he seemed to not feel any resentment at all. As he says, “Well, nobody ever looks at the person who does the labour… they always look at the masquerader” and through his experience over the years he understands and relates to it comparing similar situations with Peter Samuel’s fame for his wins. He says, “Peter never built them... Aldwin Chowlnon did.” Nonetheless he holds his relationship with his brother dear to him as they work as a team to continue being successful mas-players with great achievements and recurring winning titles.
Not only is Marcus involved in the ‘big mas’ for the Dimanche Gras, but recently he has gotten more involved with the section mas in Trinidad. While he always had a section surrounding the King piece which he proudly referred to as The King’s Men, it wasn’t until 2001 when he brought an official section with Legends Carnival Band. He stayed there for three years before moving over to Carnival Tribe in 2005 when Legends announced their spilt into two bands, now known as Genesis and Legacy. In 2007, Marcus made another switch over to Island People, in light of some opportunities arising. For 2008 Carnival, Marcus will be part of the new band being born called Revolution which will be headed by his devoted brother, Curtis Eustace, and themed “The Imagination of Colour.”
In Toronto, Marcus Eustace also participated with the Loius Saldenah Mas Band bringing sections and numerous Kings and Queens until 2005 where Marcus and Curtis Eustace took on the challenge, joining with some other key players in the entertainment industry in creating their own band, Carnival Nationz. Leaders of the band are Marcus Eustace, Curtis Eustace, Dwayne Pitt (more commonly known as D’ Bandit), and Bryce Aguiton (a member of the Island Boyz team). This amalgamation brings to the table a victorious costume constructor and builder, an unbeatable costume portrayer, a flourishing DJ and an acclaimed promoter, respectively. All in all, it shouts success!
While meeting with Marcus and asked about his experience branching off to their own band in Toronto, he could not be any prouder of his achievements thus far. “Well”, he said, “the first year we won, and a lot of people were not expecting a band that’s going down the route last, after 6pm in the evening, to win [the Band Of The Year title]. We defeated all the odds and came first!” After a brief pause, he proudly added, “and the second year… when I looked over what we had [compared to] the rest of bands, it was an easy win.”
With such triumph in his voice I could not help but to probe for his thoughts on this upcoming year’s competition, and he wasted no time in divulging his confidence with what he foresees for this year’s events; “this year… I don’t see any band to give us competition when it comes to costumes.” He pressed back firmly into the seat of the chair and in the most nonchalant manner he completed his statement saying, “ I have seen all the other costumes, and I don’t see any competition… The closest thing I see to giving us any threat would be Dexter’s costumes… and he is considered a B band. So that wont be classified to compete in the same group, but I do see him winning [the title] for B band easily. After Dex and me there’s a big gap.”
Dexter Seusahai is another leading Toronto Mas Band builder that has been in the runnings for many years. This year marks Dexter inaugural year for his new band branching off from Callaloo Mas and taking with him, fellow section leader, Godfrey Wickham, to form Tribal Knights.
Marcus was hesitant to comment on his feelings for the King and Queen competition, as it is difficult since he has no idea on what the other Bands are going to bring to the event being held at Lamport Stadium, on August 2nd 2007. But he is confident in what he is ‘bringing’, he says that while it may not be his best piece ever, it sits high up in the ratings. For the Female Individual and the Queen, these too, he sees as easy winners. For his King piece this year Rudy will be portraying Ring Master, and Marcus says, “there’s a lot of different stuff in it, but it is nothing like anything anyone has ever seen at the competition in Toronto.” He is anxious to see how Toronto responds to his imagination.
Marcus’ ultimate goal at this point is yet to be unravelled and he sees the light in the next annual Dimanche Gras event. Marcus Eustace currently sits in a tie position with Peter Samuel, both for having 8 King victories to their names. His goal has been to surpass that record and next year, Carnival 2008, he expects to achieve his goal and make his dream a reality. “’Twas a lot of hard work to get there,” he sighed!
For his Circus theme this year, ‘The Big Top’ will be comprised of 11 sections entitled: Acrobats, Cotton Candy, Snake Charmer, Fire Dancer, Jugglers, Lion Tamer, Sexy Clowns, Wild Indians, Siberian Tiger, Gypsy, and Aerialists. He cunningly advised me that whatever may appear to be forgotten in the section mas, don’t be fooled as it was kept a secret for the Big costumes which will be unveiled at the King and Queen competition.
Marcus Eustace shared a great deal with me about his passion for what he does, the love of his father and his appreciation for all of his accomplishments thus far; mas-making sits at the core of his heart. He holds his father in high regard, nominating him as his one and only role model. Some other mas makers’ work, which he admires, are Wayne Barkley, Geraldo Vieira, and Peter Minshall, all legendary mas-men of Trinidad Carnival.
Nonetheless, Marcus knows how much he has contributed to making Toronto’s Caribana what it is today. And in his words he says, “anyone who is involved in Caribana will tell you that it is Marcus Eustace who has been solely responsible for changing the face of Caribana. I have brought up the quality to almost the Trinidad level, and costumes that win here can easily go down to Trinidad and be a contender… And that’s a great achievement for a Toronto Band Leader.” Marcus is proud of the level of work that he brings to the competition each year as he continually tries to be different. He puts his heart into it, ensuring that the costumes continue to hypnotize the crowd.
Marcus Eustace’s involvement with Carnival does not stop at Trinidad and Toronto. This successful mas-maker also participates in other Carnivals such as Boston, Tallahassee, Detroit, Baltimore, Miami, New York, and even England where he makes appearances with his winning pieces. This year at the Cricket World Cup Finals held in Jamaica, Marcus’ Dimanche Gras winning King of the Bands piece entitled, D’ Wrath of Tutankumhan, which also won Best Costume Design, was featured at the World Cup event. Marcus says it is “winning” that sets him apart from the rest!
When asked to comment on his different experiences with Trinidad mas and Toronto mas, he found it a bit difficult. “The level of mas up here in Toronto, compared to the level in Trinidad is getting very close,” he says. While Toronto still sits slightly lower than Trinidad Carnival, he attributes that to the funding available for mas up here. The quality of Caribana mas has improved three-fold, but the funding has not, and he feels that this will continue to keep the level hovering just below the quality being seen in Trinidad. Marcus hopes that in time, he will be able to see this change, to allow for a more thriving Caribana display with each year. Seeing it on par with Trinidad mas will be great, and if one day Toronto Caribana can eventually surpass Trinidad quality, this would be a breath of fresh air to Marcus. He feels it should be that way as Toronto Caribana sits at one of the most prosperous festivals all across North America.
Besides winning every year, he continues to be motivated by the enjoyment had by the masqueraders and spectators alike. It gives him great pleasure to know that people are happy with what he offers. Marcus concluded wishing good luck to all the other participating band leaders, and encourages them to keep on doing such a great job in promoting Caribana!
Achievements Over the years:
TORONTO KINGS:
1992 – The Architect 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
1993 – The Nebula 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
1996 – The Ghost of Carnival 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
1997 – no Caribana event
1998 – The Predactor 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
1999 – The Millennium Bug 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
2000 – The Phantom 1st - portrayed by Dexter Seusahai (Saldenah Mas Band)
2001 – The Spirit of Carnival 1st - portrayed by Dexter Seusahai (Saldenah Mas Band)
2003 – The Skelotor 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
2004 – The Cobra 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
2005 – King Kong 2nd. - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Carnival Nationz)
2006 – Soca Warrior 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Carnival Nationz)
2007 – Ring Master - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Carnival Nationz)
TRINIDAD KINGS:
1996 – The Great White Spirit 2nd - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
1997 – The Matador 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
1998 – Dis is we Carnival 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
1999 – Pazuzu: Protector of the Dark Crystals 2nd - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
2000 – D’ Rough Rider 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
2001 – Survivor 2nd - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Legends)
2002 – Jab Molassie 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Legends)
2003 – Sky is Your Limit 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Legends)
2004 – Drums of Freedom 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Legends)
2005 – War Chant, D’ Rise of Tatanka 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Carnival Tribe)
2006 – Out of d’Depths 4th - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Carnival Tribe)
2007 – D’ Wrath of Tutankumhan 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Island People)
also won: best costume design in Trinidad.
Marcus Eustace is the engineer behind many winning costume pieces participating in both Trinidad and Toronto Carnivals. Son of Mr. Tedder Eustace, a man known for his great contribution to Trinidad Carnival for over 40 years, Marcus is the man behind all the glam and glitter displayed each year at the annual Dimanche Gras and Kings & Queens competition. Over the years we have become very familiar with the ‘Eustace’ name in relation to Trinidad Carnival and Toronto Caribana events. Born Trinidadian, Marcus Eustace, along with his brother Curtis fell in line under their father’s direction building ‘mas’ from a very young age. Mas-making quickly became rooted deep down in his veins and is now part of who he is.
At the age of sixteen, Marcus along with his brother moved to Toronto where they quickly got involved with Saldenah Mas Band through their father’s relationship and involvement with the band. Marcus stood by his father’s side learning all there was to know about mas-making and mas winning. Tedder Eustace has three winning titles to his name from the Dimanche Gras competition in 1975, 1977 and 1985, with the winning costumes entitled ‘Cock Fight’, ‘King Corbeau’, and ‘The Big Fisherman’ respectively.
Marcus Eustace worked hand in hand with his father over the years making dazzling costumes to present for the Saldenah Mas competitions up until 2001 when his father, Tedder Eustace, passed. From then on, Marcus knew it was his responsibility to carry on the Eustace name. Since the death of his hero and loving father, on Dec 31 2001, Marcus has managed to solely design and build 6 Kings to participate in the National Dimanche Gras competition held annually as a part of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival events. Remarkably 5 have won.
In a recent interview done with Marcus Eustace exclusively for WE Mag, Marcus described his role in mas-making as the “designer and constructer of it all”. Marcus’ brother, Curtis Eustace, portrays all his work at the Trinidad competition, while Rudy Rampersad does the portrayals in Toronto at the annual King and Queen competition. When questioned about his feelings towards having the portrayer getting all the credit for the wins, he seemed to not feel any resentment at all. As he says, “Well, nobody ever looks at the person who does the labour… they always look at the masquerader” and through his experience over the years he understands and relates to it comparing similar situations with Peter Samuel’s fame for his wins. He says, “Peter never built them... Aldwin Chowlnon did.” Nonetheless he holds his relationship with his brother dear to him as they work as a team to continue being successful mas-players with great achievements and recurring winning titles.
Not only is Marcus involved in the ‘big mas’ for the Dimanche Gras, but recently he has gotten more involved with the section mas in Trinidad. While he always had a section surrounding the King piece which he proudly referred to as The King’s Men, it wasn’t until 2001 when he brought an official section with Legends Carnival Band. He stayed there for three years before moving over to Carnival Tribe in 2005 when Legends announced their spilt into two bands, now known as Genesis and Legacy. In 2007, Marcus made another switch over to Island People, in light of some opportunities arising. For 2008 Carnival, Marcus will be part of the new band being born called Revolution which will be headed by his devoted brother, Curtis Eustace, and themed “The Imagination of Colour.”
In Toronto, Marcus Eustace also participated with the Loius Saldenah Mas Band bringing sections and numerous Kings and Queens until 2005 where Marcus and Curtis Eustace took on the challenge, joining with some other key players in the entertainment industry in creating their own band, Carnival Nationz. Leaders of the band are Marcus Eustace, Curtis Eustace, Dwayne Pitt (more commonly known as D’ Bandit), and Bryce Aguiton (a member of the Island Boyz team). This amalgamation brings to the table a victorious costume constructor and builder, an unbeatable costume portrayer, a flourishing DJ and an acclaimed promoter, respectively. All in all, it shouts success!
While meeting with Marcus and asked about his experience branching off to their own band in Toronto, he could not be any prouder of his achievements thus far. “Well”, he said, “the first year we won, and a lot of people were not expecting a band that’s going down the route last, after 6pm in the evening, to win [the Band Of The Year title]. We defeated all the odds and came first!” After a brief pause, he proudly added, “and the second year… when I looked over what we had [compared to] the rest of bands, it was an easy win.”
With such triumph in his voice I could not help but to probe for his thoughts on this upcoming year’s competition, and he wasted no time in divulging his confidence with what he foresees for this year’s events; “this year… I don’t see any band to give us competition when it comes to costumes.” He pressed back firmly into the seat of the chair and in the most nonchalant manner he completed his statement saying, “ I have seen all the other costumes, and I don’t see any competition… The closest thing I see to giving us any threat would be Dexter’s costumes… and he is considered a B band. So that wont be classified to compete in the same group, but I do see him winning [the title] for B band easily. After Dex and me there’s a big gap.”
Dexter Seusahai is another leading Toronto Mas Band builder that has been in the runnings for many years. This year marks Dexter inaugural year for his new band branching off from Callaloo Mas and taking with him, fellow section leader, Godfrey Wickham, to form Tribal Knights.
Marcus was hesitant to comment on his feelings for the King and Queen competition, as it is difficult since he has no idea on what the other Bands are going to bring to the event being held at Lamport Stadium, on August 2nd 2007. But he is confident in what he is ‘bringing’, he says that while it may not be his best piece ever, it sits high up in the ratings. For the Female Individual and the Queen, these too, he sees as easy winners. For his King piece this year Rudy will be portraying Ring Master, and Marcus says, “there’s a lot of different stuff in it, but it is nothing like anything anyone has ever seen at the competition in Toronto.” He is anxious to see how Toronto responds to his imagination.
Marcus’ ultimate goal at this point is yet to be unravelled and he sees the light in the next annual Dimanche Gras event. Marcus Eustace currently sits in a tie position with Peter Samuel, both for having 8 King victories to their names. His goal has been to surpass that record and next year, Carnival 2008, he expects to achieve his goal and make his dream a reality. “’Twas a lot of hard work to get there,” he sighed!
For his Circus theme this year, ‘The Big Top’ will be comprised of 11 sections entitled: Acrobats, Cotton Candy, Snake Charmer, Fire Dancer, Jugglers, Lion Tamer, Sexy Clowns, Wild Indians, Siberian Tiger, Gypsy, and Aerialists. He cunningly advised me that whatever may appear to be forgotten in the section mas, don’t be fooled as it was kept a secret for the Big costumes which will be unveiled at the King and Queen competition.
Marcus Eustace shared a great deal with me about his passion for what he does, the love of his father and his appreciation for all of his accomplishments thus far; mas-making sits at the core of his heart. He holds his father in high regard, nominating him as his one and only role model. Some other mas makers’ work, which he admires, are Wayne Barkley, Geraldo Vieira, and Peter Minshall, all legendary mas-men of Trinidad Carnival.
Nonetheless, Marcus knows how much he has contributed to making Toronto’s Caribana what it is today. And in his words he says, “anyone who is involved in Caribana will tell you that it is Marcus Eustace who has been solely responsible for changing the face of Caribana. I have brought up the quality to almost the Trinidad level, and costumes that win here can easily go down to Trinidad and be a contender… And that’s a great achievement for a Toronto Band Leader.” Marcus is proud of the level of work that he brings to the competition each year as he continually tries to be different. He puts his heart into it, ensuring that the costumes continue to hypnotize the crowd.
Marcus Eustace’s involvement with Carnival does not stop at Trinidad and Toronto. This successful mas-maker also participates in other Carnivals such as Boston, Tallahassee, Detroit, Baltimore, Miami, New York, and even England where he makes appearances with his winning pieces. This year at the Cricket World Cup Finals held in Jamaica, Marcus’ Dimanche Gras winning King of the Bands piece entitled, D’ Wrath of Tutankumhan, which also won Best Costume Design, was featured at the World Cup event. Marcus says it is “winning” that sets him apart from the rest!
When asked to comment on his different experiences with Trinidad mas and Toronto mas, he found it a bit difficult. “The level of mas up here in Toronto, compared to the level in Trinidad is getting very close,” he says. While Toronto still sits slightly lower than Trinidad Carnival, he attributes that to the funding available for mas up here. The quality of Caribana mas has improved three-fold, but the funding has not, and he feels that this will continue to keep the level hovering just below the quality being seen in Trinidad. Marcus hopes that in time, he will be able to see this change, to allow for a more thriving Caribana display with each year. Seeing it on par with Trinidad mas will be great, and if one day Toronto Caribana can eventually surpass Trinidad quality, this would be a breath of fresh air to Marcus. He feels it should be that way as Toronto Caribana sits at one of the most prosperous festivals all across North America.
Besides winning every year, he continues to be motivated by the enjoyment had by the masqueraders and spectators alike. It gives him great pleasure to know that people are happy with what he offers. Marcus concluded wishing good luck to all the other participating band leaders, and encourages them to keep on doing such a great job in promoting Caribana!
Achievements Over the years:
TORONTO KINGS:
1992 – The Architect 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
1993 – The Nebula 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
1996 – The Ghost of Carnival 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
1997 – no Caribana event
1998 – The Predactor 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
1999 – The Millennium Bug 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
2000 – The Phantom 1st - portrayed by Dexter Seusahai (Saldenah Mas Band)
2001 – The Spirit of Carnival 1st - portrayed by Dexter Seusahai (Saldenah Mas Band)
2003 – The Skelotor 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
2004 – The Cobra 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Saldenah Mas Band)
2005 – King Kong 2nd. - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Carnival Nationz)
2006 – Soca Warrior 1st - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Carnival Nationz)
2007 – Ring Master - portrayed by Rudy Rampersad (Carnival Nationz)
TRINIDAD KINGS:
1996 – The Great White Spirit 2nd - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
1997 – The Matador 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
1998 – Dis is we Carnival 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
1999 – Pazuzu: Protector of the Dark Crystals 2nd - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
2000 – D’ Rough Rider 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Barbarossa)
2001 – Survivor 2nd - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Legends)
2002 – Jab Molassie 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Legends)
2003 – Sky is Your Limit 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Legends)
2004 – Drums of Freedom 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Legends)
2005 – War Chant, D’ Rise of Tatanka 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Carnival Tribe)
2006 – Out of d’Depths 4th - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Carnival Tribe)
2007 – D’ Wrath of Tutankumhan 1st - portrayed by Curtis Eustace (Island People)
also won: best costume design in Trinidad.
WE People - Focus On Entrepreneur – Dave Craig
In Canada, the business community has not fully realized the true potential that Caribbean immigrants have as professional managers.
While large U.S. corporations increasingly tap into the burgeoning talent pool of African Americans for senior management roles, the more timid Canadian companies are behind in this regard and in many cases miss out on the opportunity to have more modern strategists who deliver an aggressive growth oriented strategic advantage.
However, one company which is seeing the light is Yogen Fruz Canada Inc. This internationally renowned corporation which operates in 30 countries was founded in Canada and maintains its global headquarters in Markham, Ontario.
Yogen Fruz is a classic case of a successful mature business which has been around for 21 years and could use a bit of rejuvenation. Yogen Fruz reached out to Toronto based and Jamaican born marketing executive, Dave Craig. In his senior role with the company, Mr. Craig is responsible for Business Development worldwide.
Dave Craig’s legacy will be working with the senior team to develop and execute a complete re-imaging of Yogen Fruz. As you can imagine, overhauling such an established brand with more than 1,000 stores is no easy task. The end result should be impressive and will make its world debut this year as Yogen Fruz enters the United States market with an initial foray into California and Florida.
Mr. Craig is helping to refresh and re-image the Yogen Fruz brand including the following initiatives.
* Market Intelligence garnered through consumer research
* Brand audit gained from focus group interviews
* New Logo Design
* Improved Retail Store Design
* Fresh Menu Board Design
* All New Advertising and Communications Creative
Re-imaging a major company, while simultaneously entering the world’s most competitive marketplace is exactly the type of bold challenge that black business leaders embrace and champion.
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