On Saturday the senior groups will make a big comeback in the carnival road march. 5 senior groups are planning to march from Casesar Ridge Road to the Marion Jones Stadium. We're calling it a comeback because there are more competing senior groups than there were last year. So just when you thought the kids had taken over carnival, the adults are back with what you could call, the revelers' revenge. Keith Swift reports from the senior camps on night two of the mas camps party.
Keith Swift Reporting, [keithkswift@gmail.com]
Last night we showed you the junior bands, but that's really just child's play compared to the big boys and girls in the senior carnival groups. Our tour started at Camp Fantezhia. There was no party here, only costumes, but trust me, these pieces give you a good idea of what kind of kind of party it'll be on Saturday.
Costume designers Keisha Alvarez and Sharlene McDonald gave me a preview.
Keisha Alvarez, Fantezhia
"Each one of them have two different designs. They will come with beads. People who are interested and love these pants, these are the bottom pieces, we call them high riders. We have the hat pieces that we are still working on, we have capes, but they are not fully completed as yet so you know its 'nuff bleaching and everything until Saturday morning."
Sharlene McDonald, Fantezhia
"We just want to come out to have fun. We just want to bring back more people in the carnival who had taken a break from it because of school or work."
Keith Swift,
I know Keisha used to be in Cultural Heritage so is this like a rebirth under another name?
Keisha Alvarez,
"Well you can put it that way because majority of the dancers are from Cultural Heritage who came back this year."
Also new this year is the Mother Nature's Creations Group. At their headquarters on St. Thomas Street they have been crocheting these unique creations, one of which will be worn by a 56 year old first time reveler. You can call her Miss
Monica.
Keith Swift,
So you'll be wearing one of these?
Miss Monica, Mother Nature's Creations
"Yes I will. This is white and that represents purity, honesty, and faithfulness."
Keith Swift,
They say never ask a woman her age but can I ask you your age?
Miss Monica,
"I'm 56 years old and I'm going from beginning to end, from Yabra to Marion Jones Stadium."
Keith Swift,
You're seriously going to wear this?
Miss Monica,
"I'm going to show you how the old girls do it."
And while they danced and waved at Mother Nature's Creations, across town at Camp Erotic Mas band members were applying final touches of glitter and glue to costumes for their 90 masqueraders.
Kim Burgess, Erotic Mas Band
"We're looking forward to the road march on Saturday."
Keith Swift,
Are you ready?
Kim Burgess,
"Definitely, I have all that energy stored up in me, I am ready."
Keith Swift,
Are you sure?
Kim Burgess,
"Keith I've been doing this for many years, I've already become accustomed to it."
They also have to finish their costumes and they are doing it under leadership
of costume design master David Matus.
David Matus, Erotic Mas Band
"First of all we look at the theme and we study what story or concept we come up with and that's how we create our masterpieces."
Keith Swift,
You guys don't seem worried at all.
David Matus,
"Well we are almost there. We have a few more hours to go but we'll be ready and why worry when you know you're out there for fun, you're out there for action, and you're going to look good so why worry."
And while Erotic worked, down the street at the headquarters for the Southside Masqueraders, they were going wild. Actually that is their theme for this year and last night they showed us why.
[Masqueradors Dancing in the Street]
Marsha Smith, Southside Bandleader
"We are all going out there, win lose or draw, we will stand firm and
let carnival be carnival. Its going to be better next year but what you all are seeing tonight at this camp is only previews of coming attractions."
Keith Swift,
I know the theme this year is Belize gaan wild, it looks like Southside has gaan wild.
Marsha Smith,
"We stay wild because I love my rainforest, I love colors, I love it."
Southside Masquerader #1,
"Belize gaan wild and I gaan wild. I am representing the Mahogany tree and I am proud to represent it."
Southside Masquerader #2,
"Keith I know that we will be having fun Saturday and we will be dancing non-stop. Even if the music stops, we will keep on dancing until we reach the track and when we reach the track we will be nothing but hypeness. We are going to win this year."
[More dancing in the street.]
Dancing in the street - harmless boasts - and the dancing abandon - that's the spirit of carnival and it has infected the city.
If you want to see how all this plays out on the streets, remember you can watch the carnival road march live right here on Channel 7 on Saturday afternoon with hosts Carla Ayres and Neil Hall.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited and Prepared for the internet by Keith Swift
