Yaa Asantewaa Carnival Group 1998

Presents:

METAMORPHOSIS II

"Decadence"

A Street Theatre performance

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The METAMORPHOSIS theme continues with "Decadence", depicting the transformation from traditional costumes (The Genesis) to the decadent. The concept is designed along the story of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, fruitfulness and vegetation. It will identify with the Roman equivalent, Bacchus, the god of ecstasy and bacchanal, depicting how this pervasive presence is alive today within a society that was carved from these ideologies.

Decadence is not a denouncement of the mythological tales, but a story of how the creation of gods and their significance have influenced the unconscious, and have metamorphosed through the Centuries, 'playing' itself out in contemporary addictions, fears and tragedies. The portrayal is a combined arts project involving singing/chanting; choreography; music; drama; costumes and technology. Like the Genesis, it would address Yaa's current dynamic as a combined Arts Centre. The band, DECADENCE will comprise of four sections and twelve individual costumes.

CARNIVAL

"More Than A Weekend"

“Carnival at the Yaa Asantewaa is everything you can ask for from an arts event - highly creative, widely accessible, culturally diverse and challenging, and startling in the quality of work produced” ,

Shabaka Thompson, Carnival Organiser at the Yaa Asantewaa

A proud boast, but justified by last year’s success at the Notting Hill Carnival, where the group won seven prizes, including four first prizes and coveted The Best Band On The Road Award.

But Carnival is not just August Bank Holiday, whilst all Carnival groups spend the whole year developing their Mas Band and costumes the Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre in West London also hosts three months of associated Carnival events of music, drama and dance, including London Calypso Tent, an Open Mas Camp and special Carnival performances.

Through July and August the London Calypso Tent takes up residence at the centre, as home-grown and international Calpsonians, perform their original compositions, backed by an eight-piece orchestra. This is a regular event at Carnivals in Trinidad and Tobago but is unique in the U.K.

The Open Mas Camp is the culmination of nine months of research and preparation as international, professional artists, led by Mark Elliott, designer from ACT Theatre Company, work alongside the local community in intensive dance, drama and music rehearsals and creative workshops.

The Mas Camp is dedicated to creating a truly original, and hopefully prize-winning, parade of dancers, masquerades and musicians. Shabaka Thompson explains :

“The Yaa Asantewaa’s contribution is special because it is a full theatrical event ; the paraders work on their characters as well as their costumes, and a script, with choreography, is developed on a theme - which is ‘Decadence’ this year. Our work ensures that Carnival Arts continues to grow and develop, both in quality and content, making it a vital expression of the modern, diverse, cultural community.”

A new addition to this year’s Carnival events are The Decadence Performances in September, taking the Mas Band off the street and putting the event into the Yaa Asantewaa’s main performance space - the party never stops!

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