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| Photo by S. Sherrod 12/28/14 |
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| Photo by C. Garcia 12/28/14 |
KWANZAA Celebration 2014
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| Photo by C. Garcia 12/28/14 |
LDT felt honored to have been invited to perform in a Kwanzaa Celebration at the beautiful Community Church in Manhattan (NYC) on December 28, 2014 ( check the meaning of Kwanzaa online, if interested. With the use of three green, three red and one black scarves, Cindy Garcia and Myrena Sint Jago portrayed the seven principles of Kwanzaa through dance and spoken word. The same colors that are being used in the candle ceremony, as part of the Kwanzaa Celebration. The performance consisted of two parts. The first part, as mentioned above, consisted of spoken word and dance while the second part was only a dance celebration and the audience was encouraged to join us. Myrena Sint Jago choreographed the event and Samuel Sherrod filmed the event. Costumes and accessories were a creative idea of the performers themselves.
FEBRUARY 2015
Myrena Sint Jago taught a week long workshop of different dance techniques to the students of the Skol Di Liberata (Liberata Dance School) at the Community Center in Marie Pampoen.
ANNUAL LDT, Inc. SUMMER SOLSTICE FUNDRAISING EVENT
A workshop consisting of 1 hour Hatha Yoga class, 1 hour Zumba class and 1 hour Congolese class, taught by LDT's Artistic Director Myrena Sint Jago, board member Carrie See Yuen and LDT performer Coreen Robledo, aka E'to Sana. This event was held on June 27, 2015. About 20 enthusiastic ladies (some signed up for the 3, others for 1 or 2 parts of the workshops) who participated energetically in this very joyful event, readying us all for the summer months that were upon us.
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| Photo by S. Sherrod 06/27/16 |
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| Photo by S. Sherrod 06/27/15 |
SUMMER 2015 "FUTURO?? KON PA SIGI?"
Annual theater/dance classes, culminating with an end performance with the students of the Skol di Liberata and some adults at the 'Kura Di Arte', in the historic district of of Pietermaai in Curacao. The performance consisted of a demonstration of a short ballet class taught partly by Myrena Sint Jago ( the barre) and by Helma Bakhuis (the center), continued with a dance/theater piece "FUTURO?? KON PA SIGI?" (FUTURE?? HOW TO CONTINUE?), written and choreographed by Myrena, about the economic situation on the island of Curacao and how the people can perhaps help themselves to improve their situation, instead of blaming the newer immigrants to the island for all ills and standing in the way of progress of the earlier island born inhabitants who are actually immigrants themselves. As most of LDT and LDTCC presentations, it was a combination of dance and dance spoken word. Besides the students, the performers included instructors Helma Bakhuis, Galia Monzon, Rose Sling, Greta Trapenberg and Myrena Sint Jago. The performance was well attended by family and friends. The show was video taped by both Samuel Sherrod and George Curiel, who interviewed Myrena afterwards and aired it during his weekly television program. He also showed part of the performance in this program.
Summer Workshop in Curacao 2015
Myrena was also invited to be part of a team of performing artists of different fields to lead a week long workshop with students 16 to 21 who were attending 'Eligio Martir' school (Curacao) to become among others, Kindergarten teachers, home health aides, doctors' assistants, etc. We each had a group of about 45 students to work with. Myrena divided the students in 6 smaller groups and shared some ideas, suggestions and gave them the opportunity to come up with their own, how they saw their upcoming school year; how they were planning to positively approach their academic school year, each other, the island of Curacao and the world at large. Each group came up with a theme, with each member saying something individually, in groups 2 or more; all connected with movements and at the end a dance combination followed; a combination choreographed by Myrena and the last part by some of the students' combined efforts. The entire school had to perform their work to the rest of the students and the staff. Two teachers and Myrena also joined at the end in the dance. Although the week had its challenges, most students did participate enthusiastically at the end.
DECEMBER 27 2015
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| Photo by C. Stossel 12/27/15 |
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| Photo by C. Stossel |
LDT, Inc. second
annual invitation to perform in a Kwanzaa Celebration at the community
Church on 35 Street. Myrena invited percussionist Joe Barnes to join us
for this year's presentation. Cindy Garcia and Myrena Sint Jago added a
dance offering fruits from baskets to the audience while dancing through
the aisles; another joyful dance as celebrating the last day of
Kwanzaa, 'Karamu', feast, banquet. As it is customary for LDT during
Kwanzaa celebration, Cindy and Myrena got the audience involved and on
their feet dancing with them to the joyful African percussion rhythms.
The beautiful skirts we wore we were able to borrow from the Calpulli
Mexican Dance Company. We were very grateful to the Artistic Director,
Alberto Lopez, for his cooperation.
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| Photo by C. Stossel 12/27/15 |
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| Photo by C. Stossel 12/27/15 |
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| Photo by C. Stossel 12/27/15 |
SUMMER 2016
Annual summer dance classes taught to the students of the Skol Di Liberata at the 'Kura Di Arte'. The last class was a demonstration of what the students have learned throughout the month long workshop. Parents and friends were invited and were encouraged to join a part of the class and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly and showed each other their fancy dance moves. Parents and friends were then treated with a dance combination their children presented for them followed by a Q&A session. Instructors Helma Bakhuis and Galia Monzon were also present and parents asked us some meaningful questions about our classes. They got to hear the importance of dance and movement being not just great for their children's (and actually for everyone's) bodies but for their overall development and well- being, including help them with their academics.
DECEMBER 2016
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| Photo by C. Stossel 1/1/17 |
LDT's third annual invitation to perform at the Kwanzaa Celebration at the Community Church in Manhattan (NYC). Myrena invited singer Tina Feaster and percussionist John Amira to join us, Cindy Garcia and her, for this year's presentation. This year was extra special because a wonderful couple, Brian Favors, M.Ed. M.S.Ed and Lurie Daniel Favors, Esq., were invited to explain the meaning of the Kwanzaa principles; to relate them to what people of African descent went through and the importance of looking backwards, 'the Sankofa' bird, researching and studying our cultures and history to be able to move forward.
They also led the candle ceremony with their two children at their sides. Our performance consisted of two parts. In the first part Cindy Garcia and Myrena Sint Jago danced on our own spoken part of the Kwanzaa principles and then on Tina's singing. Our second part was a repetition of our last year's basket dance with offering fruits to the audience; also a celebration dance and an invitation to the audience to join us and show their fancy moves on the percussion rhythms of John Amira. The skirts (with one of them made especially for us) were lent to us again by Mr. Alberto Lopez , the Artistic Director of the Calpulli Mexican Dance Company. We were very grateful and touched by Mr. Lopez' graciousness. Our yearly performance is part of an entire program that included different other presentations, including singers, poetry, speeches, a choir among others. The Community Church graciously has invited participants and audiences during the last years we performed there to join their members and share wonderful food and drink.
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| Photo by C. Stossel 1/1/17 |
Annual theater/dance classes, culminating with an end performance with the students of the Skol di Liberata and some adults at the 'Kura Di Arte', in the historic district of of Pietermaai in Curacao. The performance consisted of a demonstration of a short ballet class taught partly by Myrena Sint Jago ( the barre) and by Helma Bakhuis (the center), continued with a dance/theater piece "FUTURO?? KON PA SIGI?" (FUTURE?? HOW TO CONTINUE?), written and choreographed by Myrena, about the economic situation on the island of Curacao and how the people can perhaps help themselves to improve their situation, instead of blaming the newer immigrants to the island for all ills and standing in the way of progress of the earlier island born inhabitants who are actually immigrants themselves. As most of LDT and LDTCC presentations, it was a combination of dance and dance spoken word. Besides the students, the performers included instructors Helma Bakhuis, Galia Monzon, Rose Sling, Greta Trapenberg and Myrena Sint Jago. The performance was well attended by family and friends. The show was video taped by both Samuel Sherrod and George Curiel, who interviewed Myrena afterwards and aired it during his weekly television program. He also showed part of the performance in this program. 
Myrena was also invited to be part of a team of performing artists of different fields to lead a week long workshop with students 16 to 21 who were attending 'Eligio Martir' school (Curacao) to become among others, Kindergarten teachers, home health aides, doctors' assistants, etc. We each had a group of about 45 students to work with. Myrena divided the students in 6 smaller groups and shared some ideas, suggestions and gave them the opportunity to come up with their own, how they saw their upcoming school year; how they were planning to positively approach their academic school year, each other, the island of Curacao and the world at large. Each group came up with a theme, with each member saying something individually, in groups 2 or more; all connected with movements and at the end a dance combination followed; a combination choreographed by Myrena and the last part by some of the students' combined efforts. The entire school had to perform their work to the rest of the students and the staff. Two teachers and Myrena also joined at the end in the dance. Although the week had its challenges, most students did participate enthusiastically at the end. 
