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Lion dancers bring added flare in Seychelles float for their February Carnival International de Victoria

Lion dancers from the Southern Chinese province of Fóshān in Guangdong are in Seychelles to mount choreography with the island’s youth for a lion dance Carnival float. Chinese Instructors, Joe aged 20 and his partner Jon 21 are working closely with Chinese instructor Mrs Lownam, Vocal National Choir Programme to built a strong and dynamic team of locally trained lion dancers.

Hip Hop dancers and Youth from the NRA are among the targeted group of young people composing the lion dance carnival float. Since their arrival in the country Joe and Jon have been constantly liaising with the International Cooperation Director of the Culture Department to formulate a comprehensive working plan and start up their recruitment process for the lion dance.

The lion dance involved energizing dancers to mimic the lion movement. It’s often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people.

Since the age of six Joe had been performing the lion dance whilst his partner Jon started at the age of ten. Professional in their domain the two lion dancers are being put into an ardent task of turning a group of the Seychellois youth into lion dancers. Speaking about their technique Jon explained that “their movements combined together to “become the lion”. Jon takes the front position mimicking movement of the lion front body.

He controls the eye lids, ears and the mouth while the movement of his leg plays represents the front legs of the lion, whereas Joe arches forward to form the back of the lion control its tail and his legs represent the lion hind legs. The lion dancers are in Seychelles as part of the bilateral cooperation between Seychelles and China. The training program is schedule to start on Monday 14^th January 2013 at the National Cultural Centre auditorium.

Carnaval banner adds festive eye catching splash to Seychelles

A mega 20 x 3 metre high Seychelles Carnaval banner now decorates the National Cultural Centre of Victoria and will remain the eye catching sign to all entering Victoria, the Capital of the Seychelles.

The National Cultural Centre house the Offices of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

The Banner securely mounted on the building is sponsored by Maryvonne Pool, the Seychelles Tourism Ambassador and the Country’s Honorary Consul based in Tanzania. The banner was erected into place by Allied Builders as part of their c/ontinued effort to work with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

This latest sponsorship by Maryvonne Pool is considered as a valuable contribution to Carnaval International de Victoria as it adds a festive eye catching splash to the town of Victoria.

Fabricated from quality high strength material the Carnaval banner erected 3 metre high on the National Cultural Centre building paved the way for Seychelles Tourism Board to start this weekend its downtown Carnaval decorations.

Maryvonne Pool commitment as a key partner of Seychelles Carnaval International de Victoria started in 2011 when she sponsored her first mega 15 by 3 metre banner accompanied by six more three metre banners to the Carnaval first edition.

Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture used the arrival of the banner from Tanzania to say that the carnival is for Seychelles and its co-hosts. It is for each and every Seychellois. “Let us continue to rally to make this great annual event what it deserves to be. Every business in Seychelles reaps the benefits from Seychelles hosting the annual carnival. We only need to look at the /foreign exchange intake by the country, or at the visitor arrival numbers for the period of the carnival to see the evidence of the benefits of the national event.  Year on year the results stands out. This is why we can say to the business community walk with us and in so doing, you will help the consolidate your own business. Be in the carnival with a delegation, or decorate your own business premises, come forward to help sponsor the carnival and be seen as a friend of the carnival “said Minister Alain St.Ange

“Maryvonne Pool’s gesture speaks volume, let us see what others can now do” Minister St.Ange said.

Final rehearsals for the SEYCHELLES Ministry of TOURISM AND CULTURE's carnival float

The staffs at the Ministry of Tourism and Culture have been inspired by Seychelles traditional musical instruments for the upcoming Carnaval International de Victoria.

The musical instruments will played by some fifty staff members of the Seychelles Tourism Board and those from the Department of Culture. It was very apparent at the rehearsal on Tuesday in the ICCS Conference Center Car Park that the staff of the Ministry are hyped up to join the carnival float for the three days when Seychelles welcomes the world to its shores. The staff of the Ministry have said that they feel proud to be part of the fun loving people of the world and that they will be swinging their way through the streets of Victoria during the Carnival Parade on the 9^th February.

Preparations for the anticipated Carnival float have been in place for weeks already and  final rehearsals kicked off Tuesday 8^th January at the International Conference Centre spearheaded by traditional dance Instructor Marietta Matombe from the Ministry’s National Troupe and Miera Savy, Director of International Cooperation.

The Staff of the Tourism Board said that nothing could overcome the buzz while watching their carnival float parading with other carnival goers in 2012.  For this 2013 edition the Seychelles Tourism Board is merging with workers of the Culture Department to prepare for one of its biggest ever carnival float.

These final days are seeing the rehearsal where the carnival team will let the sounds of the instrumental music bring out the rhythm in them.  Not only would they be learning the steps, but the most challenging part will be to attain the full swing of the rehearsal by tuning their traditional instruments to the upbeat of the songs arrangement ensuring a flawless delivery on the big day.

Dancers and choreographer are prepared to sweat it out while consume designer were on hand to ensure the dancers are perfectly fitted in their role.  The Seychelles Tourism and Culture carnival float will join the over twenty confirmed local float for the parade.  In the mean time the Seychelles Tourism Board is waiting for confirmation from other local companies already registered and who are ready to showcase their company as supporters of the carnival.

Mr Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture accompanied by Ms Benjamine Rose, his Principle Secretary for Culture, Ms Jenifer Sinon, the Administration and HR Manager at the Tourism Board and Mrs Raymonde Onezime, the Minister’s Special Advisor were at the ICCS Conference Center Carpark to see for themselves the final preparations by their team members for the biggest popular event organised in Seychelles.

Minister St.Ange said after he left the rehearsals that he was happy to see the enthusiasm of the Ministry’s Team Members to be part of the coming carnival. “Seychelles is the host country, we have a duty to come out and show our commitment to the event that has helped us increase our country’s visibility in the four corners of the world. Participating adds to the colour of the carnival and it helps develop unity amongs company’s Team Members and amongst ourselves, the people of Seychelles” Minister Alain St.Ange said.