Times Arts and Entertainment

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Issue No. 021

Friday, July 11, 2014

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en beauties are confirmed to participate in the Miss Jamzone International Pageant slated for August 15 at the National Cultural Centre. These delegates include several from the Caribbean, a few from North America and Guyana’s very own Soyini Fraser.

The delegates will be competing in several competitions such as talent, display of national costumes, intelligence, photo shoots and others.

Guyana Times Entertainment will be featuring delegates of the 2014 Miss Jamzone International Pageant in the coming weeks. This week, we are pleased to introduce Miss St Lucia – Amy Stephen and Miss Barbados – Dannyele Leslie.

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h i s vibrant 25-year-old has an impressive line of special awards she received for accomplishments she managed to reach including Valedictorian 2004, Most outstanding d e b a t e r (Gavel Club P re s i d e nt ) 2002, 2003, 2 0 0 4 ; Outstanding Academic Achievement 2004, winner of the National and Regional Optimist Oratorical Competitions 2004, highest exam mark in Barbados in the Royal Schools of Music Theory

Exam 2001, Principal’s Award of Excellence 2005, and the list goes on.

She can also be considered a ‘pageant girl,’ having competed in several regional pageants including Miss Carnival, which she won in 2013; Miss Jaycees Caribbean Queen 2009; Miss Barbados World, in which she placed first runner up; among others.

Having considered herself an “old soul”, Dannyele enjoys music from the Bee Gees, Air Supply and Whitney Houston.

This young lady says she dreams of being successful in life, making her parents, community, country and most importantly, herself, proud and ultimately dreams of building a legacy for those to follow.

“A legacy which impresses and you must seize each and every opportunity, whether it comes with its value stamped on it, or whether it comes in disguise, so that they too may be successful”.

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t 20 years old, Amy Stephen is a full time teacher while pursuing a degree in theatre and marketing.

She dreams of working in these fields either regionally or internationally. With a passion for singing and theatre, this young lady says she enjoys spending her leisure time strengthening her singing, violin and flute skills.

Asked what she would like to see happen in the area of tourism in her country, Stephen said “I would like to see the industry become more holistic in terms of the partners involved…”

She continued to say that her fellow St Lucians make her most proud and would promote the country’s human resources as “mountains and trees can’t make you feel as welcome as a gesture from someone you’ve never met.”

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friDAY, july 11, 2014

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hree talented ladies from Berbice – Artie Sookhai, Gail Ann Singh and Vishalie Sukram – will compete to be the winner of E-Networks Emerging Voice of 2014 in the grand finale of the series which airs tonight on E-Networks Channel 1 at 19:00h. It will also be posted to YouTube.

The competition among the three talented ladies has been intense thus far with each of them delivering outstanding performances throughout the competition, which has been running for the last 12 weeks.

Fans have been rallying behind their favourites and social media are filled with good wishes and words of advice and encouragement for the finalists. The tough decision as to who will be the winner rests with celebrity judges Jeffrey Iqbal, Dr Vindhya Persaud and Purnash Durgaprasad.

In addition to a song of their choice, the three finalists will be required to perform a standard test piece which was selected for them by the judges.

Music for the show is provided by the E-networks band which has been wowing viewers with its versatility. The band is made up of musicians from India and Guyana.

Also performing on the night of the grand finale will be judges Jeffrey Iqbal and Purnash Durgaprasad and the Dharmic Nritya Sangh. It promises to be action packed.

With a first prize of one million dollars up for grabs, the competition has been intense thus far with the artistes pulling out all stops to present their best.

E-Networks launched the reality television series “Emerging Voices” in an effort to unearth good voices, fresh talent and energetic young performers who will give a boost to Guyana’s budding music industry. Focusing on Hindi and Bollywood Music, auditions were held countrywide following which 22 persons were selected by judges Jeffrey Iqbal, Purnash Durgaprasad and Dr Vindhya Persaud to take part in the series.

It is noted that, in addition to the prizes announced, the top two contestants will have an opportunity to visit India for musical exposure and training. E-Networks is being supported in this venture by Torginol Paints, Sujata Curry Powder, NTN Television and King’s Jewellery World.

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uyanese singing sensation, Lisa Punch is all prepared for her next round in the ABC’s singing competition, “Rising Stars” this Sunday evening. She will be competing in the duel round against Alice Lee. This signalled that the three weeks of live auditions have passed and the coming weeks will see the finalists competing not only to lift the wall but also with the aim of bettering their competitor’s score.

All performers will be paired up to compete. Just as weeks one through three, you can vote “yes” or “no” through the Rising Star App. Since contestants are paired to compete against each other, whichever performer gets the highest percentage of “yes” votes from both east and west, will stay in the competition, while the other goes home.

The Guyanese artiste in an interview reiterated the need for persons to vote for her during her performance. She has been thankful thus far for the tremendous support that she has received and promises to perform to the best of her ability, this Sunday.

The ABC show will be broadcast live on the National Communications Network (NCN) and WRHM Channel 7 on Sunday evening, commencing at 21:00h.

Guyana Times Entertainment extends best wishes to Lisa Punch in her quest to become ABC’s Rising Star.

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hirty-year-old Ryan Gonsalves is the captain of the Guyana National Rugby Team. He was born to Clifford George and Claire Gonsalves and has a brother, Elton and three sisters; Lizann, Kimberly and Tiffany.

He was born in Georgetown where he spent most of his life. He described his childhood as exciting and fun. As a child, he liked spending a lot of time with his friends so that could he compete in various form of sports such as cricket, football and table tennis. He had to adhere to the strict policy of after school game playing, since he was not allowed to mix academics and cocurricular activities.

He attended St Angela’s Primary then went to the St Mary’s Primary after which he was transferred to Charlestown Government School. After writing the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) he went onto acquire a diploma in Marketing and Human Resource Management at Cambridge University, through School of the Nations.

Gonsalves was introduced to Rugby by Conrad Arjoon, a former Guyana rugby captain whom he saw as a father figure at the time. Arjoon subsequently retired in 2001.

After being involved in Rugby, he attended the Guyana Olympic Association Sports Summer camp where he was exposed not only to Rugby but also to cricket, football, hockey, swimming, boxing and other forms of the discipline.

Apart from him being a Rugby player, his cousin, Julio Gonsalves played in the Under 19 tournament for Guyana.

To him, he is a part of the Guyana Rugby Sevens Team that won six Caribbean Sevens titles in a row, only losing once during that r e i g n .

Gonsalves also played at the Pan American Games.

“I played against some of the best rugby nations in the world. My first game on the world stage was against the New Zealand “All Blacks” at the World Sevens series in Las Vegas where I scored my first international try”.

He also participated in the Hong Kong Sevens which is described as the “Rugby Sevens” World Cup where all the best teams from around the world participated. In that tournament, France drew with the United States in Las Vegas and the Guyana team won against China.

As a national player, his aim is to develop the sport in Guyana so that the team can be a force to be reckoned with in the Region and farther afield. The talented young man listed his wife and son, Xavi as his greatest inspiration.

His said that playing rugby is a true experience and it showcases talent such as speed, strength and ball skills.

It is also entertaining and is one of the fastest growing sports in the word.

Some Guyanese he made reference to are Kevin MC Kenzie who is playing in Australia and Richard Staglon who plays for Ireland. He noted they would have gotten their foundation here in Guyana and excelled at the sport.

In the future, he expects to win Guyana’s first North America Caribbean Rugby 15’s title. He also intends to reclaim the Sevens Title later in the year in Mexico which will qualify Guyana for the Pan American Games in Canada in 2015.

Also, this tournament gives then a shot at qualifying for the Olympics in Rio in Brazil in another two years. This would mean that the Guyana team will have to win the Caribbean Zone and hopefully defeat the United Stated of America or Canada.

When Gonsalves is not on the Rugby field, he is hard at work at John Fernandes Limited in the agency department.

He has been married to Kamla Gonsalves for the past four years and their union has brought forth one son, Xavi Gonsalves.

His favourite color is green as the Guyana ‘green machine’ rugby team.

His favourite foods are garlic pork, pepper pot and grilled chicken with vegetables and potatoes, especially when it is prepared by his wife.

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s was expected, Pulse Entertainment’s Cooler Fete was held at the Everest Cricket Club ground on Saturday last and it was dominated by some high energy performances by Trinidad’s Number one crossover band, Karma led by its lead singer, Ravi B. It was indeed a night of party vibes which saw hundreds in attendance as they partied jouvert style. Earlier in the day, patrons were privileged to splash in the erected swimming pools as they viewed the football games.

But as the darkness stepped in, Fusion International Sound dished out tempting soca and dancehall music, which put the patrons in the right party mood. After hours of partying to the vibes, Guyanese emcee, WR Reaz introduced the Trinidadian deejays who created a stir on the mixer. From soca vibes to dancehall and hip hop, everyone was sipping from either a bottle or a cup.

The two guest deejays undoubtedly had the crowd showing off their dance moves and swag.

By this time, Nadia Baxton appeared on stage and sang her signature tune “You don’t have a man; you have a manager”. This had the ladies getting on bad.

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ED Entertainment has announced that its annual feature, “Kiss My Art” will be staged at the Promenade Gardens, Middle Street, Georgetown, on July 27.

Kiss My Art 2K14 will feature local art of all kinds, in a format that is vibrant, exciting and attractive to all ages, but particularly the young and the young at heart. This would include the display and/or sale of photography, p a i n t i n g s , v i d e o g ra p hy, textiles, jewellery, pottery, sculptures and much more!

In addition to the art exposé, Kiss My Art 2K14 will feature Trinidad’s Lexo TV Santana Puppets, a comedic act that will definitely thrill the Guyanese audience.

There will also be several artsy activities such as Bravo Arts and Let’s Dance ‘King of the Jungle’ body art performance; performances from Collage Band; Keep Your Day Job Band; DJ Power Play; Choreo Steppers, Aerial Silk Acrobatics by Radical Romel and so much more.

The event will be officially launched at the Georgetown Club today at 11:30h.

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She also dished out several hit songs by Allison Hinds and others. She too, had it going on as she performed. Without

hesitation, Ravi B appeared on stage singing “Bread”, which had the patrons gyrating to the vibes. After several minutes on stage,

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he was accompanied by his sister, Nesha B and band member Gregory.

The trio dished out a fantastic and versatile performance comprising all genre of music ranging from Chutney, soca, hip hop, dancehall, reggae and others. One of the tunes that Ravi B delivered that had the entire crowd dancing and singing was “Rum is meh lover”.

Gregory, with a more dancehall twist to the event and Nesha B with a retro perspective, added the flavour to an enjoyable night. An almost two-hour performance by the trio also included a saucy performance by soca sensation, Shal Marshall with several of his hits including “Wanna Ride” and others.

While the artistes were performing, some of the female patrons were having a ball in the pools, clad in their skimpy swimsuits. Even those in the general admission were seen having a blast at the event. The event was incident free and from all indications, those who attended the cooler fete totally enjoyed themselves.

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friDAY, july 11, 2014

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lans are moving apace for the hosting of Bartica Regatta Summer Splash 2014 which is billed for July 19 to 27.

The scorching h ot summer event which is expected to draw thousands of spectators from the region and beyond commences with the Soca Wicked in White party.

The ultimate jump start party will feature the best in the local music industry such as Carib Soca Monarch, Kwasi “Ace” Edmondson, Heatwaves Band members, Calvin Burnette, Jackie Hanover and “De Button Man”, James Bond. The event will be held

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at Smartt’s Residence, First Avenue, Bartica.

On Sunday, July 20, the Bartica Community Centre ground will come alive with the Kids Fun Park which has become an annual feature that caters for the children. They will have the opportunity to take photos and meet their favourite cartoon character including Sponge Bob, Barney, Dora and others. The stage shows get underway at 13:00h.

The excitement continues on Monday July 21 through Thursday July 24, at the Bartica Community Centre ground for the Mil Mahadeo Summer Regatta Football Competition, which will feature teams from Venezuela, Georgetown, West Demerara and Bartica.

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The event kicks off at 19:00h nightly.

On Friday July 25, persons will have a chance to show off their vocals when the Karaoke King and Queen competition is held. This will be a one-off competition which will see Barticians competing head on to win fabulous prizes. This event is also slated for Smartt’s Residence, First Avenue, Bartica and will sing off at 19:00h.

The final of the Mil Mahadeo Summer Regatta Football Competition is fixed for Saturday July 26, at the Bartica Community Centre ground at 19:00h. This will be followed by the Regatta Road Jam in front of the Platinum and Modern Square at 20:00h.

O n S u n d ay, J u l y 27, the Golden Beach Racing Circuit is the place to be for the Regatta, featuring 15 powerboat races in five categories including jet skis. Here the big names in boat racing will be competing for various titles.

And finally, on the evening of July 27, all roads will lead to Stelling Square for the Ultimate Summer Splash Concert featuring Jamaica’s most creative dancehall duo, RDX. RDX members are Deejay Renigade (Carlton Williams) from the community of Waterhouse and Singer Delomar (Andre Bedward) who hails from the community of Kencot both in Kingston, Jamaica.

Both artistes first started out in the dancehall reggae

business in 2003 as members of a group call “Xsytment”. In 2006 they collaborated and formed their own group “RDX”, instantly making an impact on the dancehall music scene.

Their big break came in 2007 with the release of one of their biggest singles “Dance”. This was followed by “Everybody Dance”, which was also a monster hit for them.

Since then, they have been on top of their game with the release of hits such as “Daggering”, “Skip”, “Turn Your Swag Up”, “Bend Ova”, “Movements”, “Like Magic” and “Dancers Anthem”.

In 2011 they performed in Nairobi, Kenya before thousands of patrons who came out to catch a glance of the ‘Swagger Masters’ in action.

Dave Martins to perform live at the Promenade

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he Promenade Gardens will come alive on Saturday, July 19 when the Global Friendships Foundation hosts its second Dave Martins Live Show and Garden Party.

Hundreds of persons are expected to flock the breezy, shady and breathtaking gardens on Middle Street, Georgetown, to be part of the garden party which has now become an annual feature.

Headlining the Global Friendships Foundation’s afternoon of Caribbean music and cultural event at the Promenade shall be none other than the iconic Dave Martins of the Tradewinds.

The Promenade will be transformed into a ‘tropical garden party’ complemented by amazing décor that will create the perfect ambience for this Caribbean signature event.

Patrons can get their tickets in advance from Gizmos and Gadgets Superstore, Wellington Street; and Ashmin’s Shopping Mall, High Street, Georgetown.