BELAIR:--- The National Institute of Art held its First Annual Festival of Arts & Culture on Saturday, December 14th, 2013 at the Belair Community Center. The Festival Officially launched the National Institute of Arts to the community to St. Maarten, starting with a cultural and arts parade at the Raoul Illidge Sport Complex, and followed by performances the Belair Community Center. The opening remarks were by Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Patricia Lourens-Philip and the Master of Ceremonies was Silveria Jacobs, who has previously danced with Motiance Dance School and Imbali.
The Cultural Parade showcased students from the National Instituted of Arts (NIA), as well as students from the various in-school, after-school programs, community centers as well as the Charlotte Brookson Academy of Performance Arts. Students from the after school programs also made various one meter by one meter floats with different aspects of St. Maarten culture. The Sr. Regina Primary School students worked hard on a creating a float of fishermen, as Simpson Bay is historically known as a fishing village. Other floats were and old lady with a coal pot, a miniature old St. Maarten style house and a mannequin with traditional St. Maarten dress, as well as a St. Maarten Village from the Star After School program. The parade was accompanied with drumming from the Generation New Status Drum Group of St. Maarten under the direction of Urmain Dormoy.
After arriving at the Belair Community Center, the students changed into their NIA Dress Code for a series of performances. These included some acts that were performed for the Royal Performance for His Majesty King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima during their visit on November 13th, 2013. Other performances were called "The Artist Prepares" and showed the development of artists from as young a baby, with the Parent and Baby dance, and demonstrated the artist developing, from kids through adults. The show opened with a Hip Hop performance of the Song "Welcome to St. Maarten", which had the audience swinging and clapping. The performances showed the broadening of what NIA offers, from not only dance performances, but also physical comedy in The Art of Laughter, a Musical Theater performance of "I Enjoy Being a Girl", a Choir vocal performance by Teacher LaVaune Henry, as well as Drama performances, featuring The Best Story Telling of St. Maarten in one minute. The performances were unique, in that the NIA mixed various classes and produced performances with students ranging from all age groups in one performance.
A special thanks to the following funding agencies: the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour / INDP Project, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport Affairs, USONA and the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds.
For more Information about the National Institute of Arts as well as pictures of the event, please visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/NationalInstituteOfArts.
NIA Press Release