In participating this year, for the very first time, in the West Indian American Day Carnival, the Brooklyn-based On Your Toes Dance Studio will be portraying the “The Four Elements” in the Junior Carnival category.
“On Your Toes Dance Studio has been serving the community with high quality for 15 years and decided to launch our own junior mas band,” Jamaican-American band leader Althea Holmes, who also owns On Your Toes Dance Studio on Church Avenue and East 39th Street in Brooklyn, told Caribbean Life in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
“We enjoy dressing up in the costumes, train the children to perform and entertain,” added Holmes, flanked by designer Jessica Justice, who was born in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican and African American parents. “So, we take the skills they learn in the studio to participate in the mas band.”
Holmes said Justice has been a dance mom for seven years. Dance moms are mothers whose children participate in the dance studio.
“Her child has been dancing for seven years,” said Holmes about Justice. “She designs the costumes; so, we took it to the next level to design for the mas band.”
Holmes said two of the studio’s choreographers will aid the masqueraders in parading across the stage.
She said the “very talented” dancers will masquerade in “The Four Elements”: Fire, Earth, Water and Air.
Holmes said she expects about eight masqueraders, ages 5-16, to participate in each section.
“I’m ready, confident because we have the heart, the passion, the talent to entertain, and we’re bringing fresh, new energy,” she said, adding that all masqueraders come “from in-house.”
“They’re bringing all this to the parade,” she continued. “They’ll really stand out. They (public) can expect energetic and motivating performances. You can expect them to display their professional dance trainings.
“I am very grateful to WIADCA (West Indian American Day Carnival Association) for the opportunity to participate in this annual cultural celebration,” said Holmes, stating that masqueraders will sway to soca vibes from Tryton Productions, comprising DJ Kirsh and MCDJ 16.
For more information, you can reach Holmes at 347-420-2380, or email: Onyourtoesbrooklyn@gmail.com
