LDT has been active with different projects and collaborations since the beginning of 2009. Together with one of our advisors, Mabel Chee, we completed a proposal in March for the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) for the 2009-2010 season. We hope to receive some funding to present our upcoming dance/theatre project "CONSTRUCTION", related to all we are going through on a personal, environmental, social, national and global level. (photo below of Construction as a work in progress in Curacao Summer of 2008)
Although LDT was not able to attend the Antillean Aruban Cultural Affairs Association (AACAA) Black History Month Celebration during February, Ms. Sint Jago sent a donation to support their event.
On March 18, LDT presented "HONRA NAN" ((HONOR THEM), celebrating women around the world. Ms. Sint Jago, President and Artistic Director's concerns with women's issues inspire her to express her thoughts and feelings. As March is often considered Women's History Month, she sees it as her duty to research and help bring forward what millions of women all around the world, young and old have to endure daily: the discrimination, abuse and lack of advancement opportunities just because having been born a female. (Above photo by Cornell Stossel depicts cast of HONRA NAN)
As it is a trademark of LDT, the performance was a combination of different disciplines, including dance, spoken word, poetry, live music and song. Photos left and right by Cornell Stossel. As HISTORY was made this year with Barack Obama becoming the first African American president in the US, Ms. Sint Jago wanted to pay tribute to him and honored him with a poem. The poem was part of LDT's HONRA NAN performance, with the company also dancing on the song "At Last" also a tribute, now to the FIRST COUPLE. The intention is to send the poem to Mr. Obama, as suggested by many.
After the show there was a short Q&A session, refreshments, snack and the "Not For The Faint At Heart Brownies" , from our loyal supporter and friend Danielle Depasquale.
Comments: "Het was enig. Ik heb heel erg genoten", meaning "It was wonderful. I enjoyed it very much". "LDT is doing great and informative work. I would like to serve on the Board", Dr. Hanne Favelukes.
In March also, LDT's President and Treasurer, Ms. Sint Jago and Mr. Sherrod visited a campaign to promote tourism on the island of Curacao. This event was held at the Essex House in Manhattan. It was in a very well organized, intimate, neatly decorated space with Curacaoan themes. It was also well attended by many involved in tourism and the travel business, like photographers, promoters, agencies, writers, including the Commissioner of Tourism of Curacao, Mr. Ruggenaarth.
The cocktail party was excellent and a musical trio complimented the Caribbean atmosphere. We were able to speak to different potential supporters and with Mr. Andre Rojer, sales and marketing director who promised (and indeed kept his word) to send us items we could use as giveaways at our shows that represent Curacao.
Ms. Sint Jago was interviewed by Channel 80, a Curacaoan television station, and she took the opportunity to promote LDT and its sister company Liberata Dance Theatre Curacao Connection, (LDTCC) and thanked all its national and international Board members, advisors, supporters, volunteers and friends. She also talked about LDT's upcoming shows of 2009.
LDT was selected for the second year on a row to participate in the Immigrant Heritage Week Celebration, April 17 to 24, 2009 and held its performance again at the Pearl Studio on 35 Street and 8th Avenue.
(Photo below by Cornell Stossel)
On April 18, LDT presented "CURAZAO= CURACAO", from the HEART of CURACAO to the HEART of NEW YORK CITY with LOVE. It was done in collaboration with the Antillean Aruban Cultural Affairs Association (AACAA). It was a simulated live television morning show, CARIBBEAN BEAT, where the two hosts (two actors) presented "their" research on the island of Curacao, in terms of history, heritage, culture.
Ms. Sint Jago was the featured guest on their show and helped clarify different issues the hosts presented and together with another dancer performed some folkloric and other dances. (See photos below taken by Cornell Stossel)
There was a lot of audience participation and they appeared to enjoy the fun filled educational/entertaining evening. Their feedback on the survey forms were very positive, complimentary and encouraging (see some of the comments below). The evening ended with a presentation about the cuisine of Curacao, presented by one of the AACAA board members Eliane Emmanuel and a Q&A session followed.(See photo by Cornell Stossel)
Some finger licking food and refreshments was prepared and provided by the President of AACAA, Juanita Joseph and board members Thelma Kingsale and Eliane Emmanuel. Danielle Depasquale 's Not For The Faint Of Heart Brownies was again one of the highlight snacks of the evening.
The audience mingled, enjoyed great company, food, drinks with great background Curacaoan rhythms. Five performers participated in this project.
Comments of some audience participants of CURAZAO: "wonderful, the dancing was excellent, the hosts (actors) were great. " beautiful performance, support is a must", Elma Denham. "I loved this show". "This was beautiful, warm, informative". "It was so great to see how you were able to gather the community together, different age groups, races to enjoy such a wonderful show. THANK YOU SO MUCH", Roberta Schine. "It was a very nice show and reminded us of our island Martinique", Flore Eugene and Liliane Theodose (loyal supporters who attended most of LDT's performances). Photo below from left to right is of Liliane, Flore and Yveline McIntosh, LDT Board Member.
On April 26, Ms. Sint Jago represented LDT at the Scholastic Achievement and Scholarship Award Luncheon of the AACAA at the Real Madrid restaurant in Staten Island (New York). Ms. Sint Jago and Mr. Sherrod donated to this well attended, very important and noteworthy event. This event was dedicated to the hard working, high achieving Antillean and Aruban youth.
It was touching and emotional to observe the gleaming eyes and faces of both the youngsters, caretakers and relatives when they came forward to accept their award. I believe that this is a wonderful annual event and a great opportunity to reward youngsters who deserve it. It is also refreshing to see and hear positive thingsof young people instead of the often negative ones portrayed in the media.
A BIG KUDO to AACAA for their great contributions to the Antillean/Aruban community and to the ones whose love, guidance, encouragement, patience and sacrifice have led to the success of the youngsters. MASHA PABIEN (CONGRATULATIONS) youngsters, parents, caretakers, relatives!
On May 8, Ms. Sint Jago was invited by AACAA, together with the Ambassador of Cabo Verdi, Mr. Antonio Pedro Monteiro Lima, to participate in their final six week Papiamentu class (pictured above, a course they offer annually). The evening was very educational, laid back and fun filled. The instructor and AACAA Board member Eliane Emmanuel (in photo below with Ambassador Lima) wanted Ms. Sint Jago to share her reasons for wanting to research the origin and history of Papiamentu, one of the only non-European languages spoken in the Caribbean; plus reasons studying research done by others before her. 
This Ms. Sint Jago culminated into PAPIAMENTU, a dance/drama of pain, struggle, triumph and survival, presented in LDT’s Immigrant Heritage Week Celebration in April 2008; an award was given by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Fund (part of Dept. of Cultural Affairs) to present PAPIAMENTU in LDT’s fall season.
The objective of the evening was to compare the Cape Verdian native language to Papiamentu. The participants of the Papiamentu class were very excited to hear close similarities between both languages but not surprising for the ones who researched the origin and history of Papiamentu; knowing that Cape Verdi is one of the places from which shores part of our African ancestors were dragged from.
Mr. Monteiro Lima was very engaging, entertaining and approachable. He shared and taught us a lot about the history and development of Cape Verdi.
Ms. Sint Jago shared her vision of a reverse Triangle Trade with the loud approval of everyone. She also read a poem in Papiamentu with the participants including Mr. Monteiro Lima trying to figure out the meaning of the words. It was amazing and wonderful to hear that almost everyone was able to understand mostly everything.
Everybody was participating excitedly and an uplifting feeling appeared to radiate from our hearts, connecting us to one another, with "long lost relatives from the Mother land Africa" and plans were made for us all to visit Cape Verdi and the Caribbean islands, to work together, to interchange ideas that can benefit our cultures.
The evening as usual ended with great food, refreshments, taking group shots and socializing with background Curacaoan music.
LDT's Treasurer and Secretary met the Director, Ms. Lynne Hayden-Findley, Co-founder of Chelsea Opera, located in Manhattan and she seemed interested in some future collaboration. She already supported us by attending our last show in April. LDT looks forward to some new possibilities.
We held our 25th Board meeting on May 12, at 440 West 34 Street, hosted by Myrena and Sam. Our newest member, Dr. Hanne Favelukes was voted in. She already showed her commitment by giving LDT a monetary donation and brought some very interesting information on the Open Society Institute (OSI); an organization LDT can try to receive some funding from. Dr. Favelukes believes that some of the works we present appear to match the field of interest of the OSI. (Photo below depicts Dr. Hanne Favelukes and Myrena Sint Jago after the performance "HONRA NAN).
Myrena was invited once more by the AACAA, now by the Vice President Ingrid Charles, to participate with her group the Antillean Dancers at the Caribbean American Heritage Month Celebration. This was held on Tuesday June 9, in the auditorium of City Hall in New York City. She choreographed a combination of the SEU (harvest celebration) and the TAMBU for three dancers and herself and part of a solo ORA DUSHI (Sweet Dushi).
We got some nice compliments and feedback. The evening was a beautiful blend of poetry, music, dance and songs presented by different performers of the various Caribbean islands. Different council men, media people were part of the invited audience. Sam and Myrena had a great time talking and networking while eating some wonderful Caribbean food. We met Donna Lamb of Caribbean Life ( a community newspaper), who covered the event and featured LDT in an article that will be published on June 17.
> First up were the very appealing Antillean Dancers (Aruba), joined by > the effervescent Myrena Sint Jago from Liberata Dance Theatre (Curacao > and Bonaire) who captivated the audience with her radiant smile and > vivacious persona. They performed a harvest celebration and a satirical > piece. (See photos below taken by Donna Lamb of Caribbean Life.
Myrena is very grateful to the Integral Yoga Institute in New York City for providing LDT with rehearsal space for our performances.
Ms. Sint Jago is in the process of writing a proposal for Curacao, with suggestions offered by some of the Board members of the Liberata Dance Theatre Curacao Connection (LDTCC). Hopefully we get the chance to perform and conduct some workshops in Curacao and other islands in the Caribbean. She is also writing one proposal for Holland as suggested by one of our Dutch advisors, Rosalie van Woerkom. Rosalie gave some wonderful suggestions.
Ms. Sint Jago is also in the process of planning for her annual summer trip to Curacao (and perhaps Bonaire) where she will be teaching, writing and choreographing for LDTCC. Throughout the year LDT has stayed in close contact with LDTCC that is keeping us informed with their progress and development.
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