Philipsburg:-----Guest performers from Saba are heading here for the 5th anniversary Boardwalk Mas on May 16, 2009, said parade manager Urmain Dormoy.The guest group includes the Saba Drumband and the Saba Youth Cultural Group numbering between 50 and 60 people, according to Voltaire Simmons, a group representative. The Youth Cultural Group performs folk songs and dances and skits.
Ramon Wilson's Boardwalk Mas song.
What else is stirring for the 2009 masquerade or "mas"? "We are happy to have the first Boardwalk Mas song, contributed by Ramon Wilson," said Dormoy. "Ramon was inspired to release the song because of the cultural and family nature of the Boardwalk Mas," said Dormoy.
The playfully upbeat tune was in fact made over a year ago but it is only now being used in audio promotions for the festive event.
The Boardwalk Mas celebrates the island's traditional festive culture with marching bands, masqueraders, Carnival royals, martial arts, moko jumbies, and dance-theater along the Great Bay Beach promenade. The late afternoon parade is followed by an evening of dance, music, song and comedy performances at the Wathey Square on Frontstreet.
Fire-eaters and limbo dancers?
Over 40 groups and individual artists and performers have registered for the 2009 Boardwalk Mas, said Dormoy.
Dormoy is "very pleased that more schools are taking part in the parade." This year the Sister Borgia and Montessori schools are among the participating primary schools. The "Mask" is the theme for Boardwalk Mas 2009.
Dormoy admits that he is still "having some trouble finding a fire-eater and limbo dancer" to add to the folk art forms he would like to see on exhibition at the event on May 16.
Boardwalk Mas video on Cable Ch. 15.
In addition to preparations for the Boardwalk Mas anniversary celebration, the video of Boardwalk Mas 2008 will air on Cable TV Ch. 15 on Saturday, May 9, at 8 PM, said Regina Labega, head of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (STB).
Starring in the 30-minute movie are the participants from last year's parade and concert. The video, which will also be showing on MSR TV in Marigot, was directed by Fabian Badejo.
The Boardwalk Mas is an annual heritage program of STB, a department of the St. Maarten government.