Showing posts with label Jamaican Talent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jamaican Talent. Show all posts

23.2.12

Port Antonio Synchro Swimming Team Making Waves


Port Antonio Synchro Swimming team members; Jamielya Shaw, Charlotte Ausan, Shernet Swearine-Gullotta, Dajone Leslie, Ajoni Llewellyn and Nyouka Baugh 
The Portland chapter of the Island Aquatics Synchro (IAS) club has been creating waves on the local synchronized swimming circuit. The six-member Port Antonio Synchro team dominated the 3rd Jamaica International Synchronized Swimming championships in October 2011 with all six girls placing in top positions. Then, earlier this year, the team had all six members qualifying for the national team set to represent Jamaica at the CARIFTA swimming championships scheduled for April 2012. Here again, the team is expected to blow the competition out of the water.

The team's performance should come as no surprise, however, as the members are under the expert tutelage of double Olympic gold medalist for Russia, Olga Novokshchenova. Olga now lives in Port Antonio and meets with her team 4 times each week for syncrho training as well as beginner's swimming lessons.

I had the pleasure of meeting Olga and her team at the 3rd annual Port Antonio Synchronized Swimming show held at the Fern Hill Hotel swimming pool a couple weeks ago. Here are some photos of that event as well as a video showing the girls in performance. The team would love your support, especially in the form of sponsorship. So please feel free to email them at portisynch@yahoo.com if you are able to help in some way.

Port Antonio Synchro team about to perform

Port Antonio Synchro team in performance

Port Antonio Synchro team

Double Olympic gold medalist Olga Novokshchenova gives a stellar solo performance

Port Antonio Synchro team after a performance

Port Antonio Synchro Swim Team from Pretaportie on Vimeo.

27.5.10

On Jamaican Creative Expressions



It's a given. Jamaicans are creators. Everyday we bring something into being out of nothing.

I saw this again last Sunday when I attended an art exhibition at Goblin Hill Villas. There was certainly a great deal of beauty in the creative expressions of Monique's nature photography, Dr Teddy Smith's landscape photography and the wearable art of Bridget's Sandals. Also on display were works by local artists; Kenroy Maxwell, Mark Bell, Eneil Howard, Hopeton Cargill, Clive Passley, Nishan and Marguerite Gauron. It was a truly wonderful display of talent.       

Come Monday morning, however, I was forced to acknowledge the other side of the coin: another less inspiring kind of creative expression.

Theories abound as to how we got here. The essential point for me though, is that the events of this passing week have also been the result of someone's (or many person's) creative efforts. This didn't just happen.   

And so, if nothing else, my hope is that we will come to appreciate this tremendous capacity that we have to create, and also the importance of choosing our creations wisely. So, when you feel like there is nothing that you can do, remember that the same energy that incites fear, chaos and hopelessness can be used to nurture and inspire love, hope and optimism also. Let's take our birthright seriously.


Macro photography by Monique

Wide selection of Bridget's Sandals on display

A patron tries Nishan's handmade jewellery

Art lovers gather for the creative display 

Harmony Band creating lovely Mento music for the evening
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