Soca and dance competitions for Borough Day

Local soca artistes and dancers have until next month to register for participation in the first annual Point Fortin Borough Day Soca Monarch and Soca Dance Competitions. The semi-finals are scheduled to take place at Festival Square, Point Fortin on April 21 from 5 pm. The announcement was made by the promoters, MADD T Promotions Ltd and G Spot Lounge, at a media launch at D Nu Pub, Woodbrook, last Thursday.

“Object of the competition is to promote our music, in particular the soca genre, among our youths,” said head of MADD T Promotions Wayne T (Winston Thomas). “As this music is only appreciated during the Carnival season, our intention is to market, promote and open this competition after its premiere to include both regional and international participants involved in soca singing and dancing. This first edition is limited to local participants, only,” said Thomas. Fifteen soca singers and five dancers will be selected to compete in the semi-final round, from which ten singers and two dancers will advance to the final. Contestants are required to submit a new work on CD (singers) and DVD (dancers). Registration and submission of material should be made at the G Spot Lounge, Cipero Street, San Fernando.  

The competition will honour iconic son of Point Fortin and reigning Road March champion and Joint Soca Monarch SuperBlue (Austin Lyons). Soca singers will compete for a prize of $30,000 and soca dancers, $15,000 in the finals scheduled for May 1, at the same venue, during the annual Borough Day celebrations in Point Fortin. “We see this competition as not only a cultural exercise, but also an educational and creative undertaking that will showcase the music and skill of all competitors,” said Wayne T.

MADD T Promotions (Mega Artistes Dynamic Diverse Talent Promotions) is a limited liability company located at 13 Volunteer Rd, Mahaica, Point Fortin. Its aim is to promote cultural events in and around the entertainment industry that target young talented men and women in the soca, calypso, DJ, pan and dance arenas, by designing competitions that arouse their sense of uniqueness.