Last Thursday, Jamaicans of all ages converged at the National Arena to experience one of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) premier events, Mello Go Roun'.

Some of the best selections from the JCDC Festival of the Performing Arts were on show. The items - music, dance and speech - were entertaining, captivating and well-executed, marred only by poor sound quality.

Barrel Pickney, an experimental dub poem performed by Zeyam Kids, was one such speech item. It was powerful in message, passionately delivered and well cast.

Norwich Primary showed why they were awarded the Most Outstanding Class Two (ages 7-9) Dub Poetry Ensemble Females and the Most Outstanding Female Presentation. Colourfully costumed in orange tops and camouflage pants, they were militant in More Than Conqueror, an original piece that addresses some of the ills in society.

Poor sound quality

The boys from Clan Carthy High with their speech Jamaica Pon Top a Things and Petrina Williams of Glenmuir High School were victims of the poor sound quality. While both pieces were awarded 'most outstanding' in their respective categories, they were only able to muster a mild response from the audience as the sound echoed around the arena. It was a pity, as Williams was also awarded the Louise Bennett Trophy for her rendition of White Witch Name Annie.

Like the speeches, the musical selections were limited with only one instrumental piece (violin), William Tell Overture, performed by Jovani Williams from Bellamy Music Studio. The selection had a bouncy beat that had the audience rocking.

Undoubtedly Mello Go Roun' was a market place for Jamaica's dance. Hopeton Murray, JCDC events and commemorations coordinator, explained that "Mello Go Roun' is not necessarily about the main gold medal pieces, but it is about the most entertaining pieces. And dance is colourful, grandeur and entertaining."

Good energy

And the dance performances proved that. Colourfully costumed and energetically performed, the dances boasted props and covered a wide genre - from traditional to modern contemporary. And there were no hiccups with the sound. However, the dances in the second segment of the programme were not as well received as those in the first half, perhaps in part due to repetition of formations and movements.

Worthy of mention are the colourfully-costumed dancers from William Knibb Memorial High School. They were energetic in their performance and their use of the tambourines was spectacular. Islington Cultural Club from St Mary showed how to properly execute the Dinki Mini, one of Jamaica's traditional dances. Dancing to live music, they displayed the many moods of the dance, at times playful and at other times a bit risqué.