The Third Annual Development Calypso Workshop aimed at raising the standards of the music art form was held in Anguilla late last week when the facilitator was Dorbrene O’Marde, a national of Antigua.

Workshop participants at Stoney Ground School

Over the past years he has delivered lectures on calypso and conducted workshops for calypsonians and judges in Anguilla, Antigua, Montserrat, Barbados, St. Lucia and Dominica.

The latest workshop for calypsonians, writers and other persons involved in the art form was held at the Stoney Ground School. It is an annual collaborative effort between Jelico Productions (Jerry, Leroy and Courtney) and the Department of the Youth and Culture.

Speaking at a press briefing, Jerry Dice Richardson, one of the partners of Jelico Productions, said the workshop was a continuation of a process to promote and further enhance all aspects of the calypso art form. “We think that it is a way forward to ensure the survival of the art form,” he stated.

L-R: Mr. Omarde, Jerry Dice, Leroy Richardson and Linda Lake

He was pleased that his company and the Ministry of Culture had found a suitable facilitator in the person of Mr. O’Marde to conduct the workshop sessions. He said that this year there was a new segment for junior calypsonians to develop a love for the art form and to be the future singing monarchs in Anguilla.

Mr. O’Marde told the media represenatives that for him the study of calypso and his participation in it as writer and commentator was an ongoing process and was still a learning experience. “It is amazing the amount of information we think we have about this art form and its importance to the role of the artiste; and a lot of the information is undocumented,” he observed.

He said that over the years there had been changes in the art form and those persons who were associated with the traditional calypso as social commentary needed to understand those changes. It was also important, he said, to have an understanding of the history and tradition of the art form and to make sure that it was not lost.

“These were some of the issues we dealt with at the workshop including judging systems and elements of competition,” he explained.
Linda Lake of the Department of Youth and Culture presided over the press briefing and took the opportunity to thank Jelico Productions and Mr. O’Marde for their contributions to the workshop.

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