7 News Belize

The Mas Camp Contagion
posted (August 30, 2012)
Carnival preparations are at a fever pitch all this week - as revelers are getting their outfits and their dance moves just right for the big day.

But the big day starts form this week when judges go into the Mas Camps to see what's happening.

That continued last night in three camps and Monica Bodden was there - here's her report:..

Monica Bodden reporting
It is contagious and spreading rapidly - and so far it seems like there isn't a cure for the Carnival Fever.

That was quite visible here at Belizean Jewel Mas Camp where it was all high level energy for these revelers who gyrated to some of the most popular soca songs in front of a crowd of spectators.

Sharon Wade - Belizean Jewels
"Our team this year is "many colors, many faces, one nation: Belize.""

Monica Bodden
"Why was that theme chosen?"

Sharon Wade - Belizean Jewels
"The theme was chosen simply because carnival is all about colors and its full of different races, different faces and Belize is one nation."

Monica Bodden
"Now tell us a little bit about the costumes?"

Sharon Wade - Belizean Jewels
"For the first costume which is many colors - its 4 different colors. The many faces is blue and black but with different faces and one nation Belize is the red, white and blue."

Monica Bodden
"Is this a new band?"

Sharon Wade - Belizean Jewels
"Yes it is a new band and it's our first year. It will be likely continued in years to come."

Our next stop was at Jump Street Posse - where Band Leader Marina Welcome showed us her display of vibrant, colorful costumes and gave us a synopsis of her Theme Magic City.

Marine Welcome - Band Leader
"The theme this year is major city because we are going to send the kids crazy."

Monica Bodden
"Tell me how did you guys chose that theme?"

Marine Welcome - Band Leader
"I have my 2 grandbabies that love cartoons. You know last year I said I was going to have carnival this year, so they came in my bed and left the TV on cartoons and I got up part of the night and the cartoons was on and that's where I made my decision that I would do something for this kids this year."

Monica Bodden
"Now "Magic City." Tell me a little bit about these costumes; I could only imagine that's its going to be something grand."

Marine Welcome - Band Leader
"Definitely, our first section is Cinderella, you see Cinderella castle; you see the coach, will be driven by the coachman because that's the coach that takes Cinderella to the ball where she met her handsome prince and got married and live into that beautiful castle. Our second section is Sleeping Beauty. We have Agatha, the witch that spins the wheel and sleeping beauty prick her finger and she went into that deep sleep for 100 years. So, she is her bed for that deep sleep where she met her handsome prince and he awoke her with one kiss and they got married and they go to a grand ball."

"The third section is Walt Disney; we will have Mickey Mouse and all the Disneyland characters that I know the kids will enjoy. I started from February - the hardest one was the castle - that's the one that took me the longest because I had to do every little detail so that it can look like a castle - that was the hardest one."

"The others I did like in 3 weeks because I design my own costume. I have Ms. Pamela and Ms. Diane that came aboard and they will do the little sequence and things for me because at time everybody helps."

"I have a wonderful at work that is there for me always; if I need a little hour or so to go and do something they give it to me. They are right there for me and right now we are having some money difficulties - we are short like of $3,000.00. If anybody can contact me at 602-3352 - any donation you give help and trust me you will not regret it when Jump Street Posse steps out there on carnival day and Saturday night."

And our last stop was at the Mahogany Masqueraders camp.

The once junior band is now competing in the senior category this year. Band Leader - Nadia Avila - told us why the change and also confidently boasted about her revelers - who she says are all pumped and ready for the carnival road march 2012.

Nadia Avila - Band Leader
"Our theme for this year is "Celebrating the history of carnival""

Monica Bodden
"Tell us Nadia, how you guys actually came up with that theme?"

Nadia Avila - Band Leader
"A lot of research and a lot of thinking. What happen seeing I had a junior band for so many years - I always try to stay positive in whatever I do and focus on us as people on a whole."

"The first section here is the ancestry section; these colors signify the struggle that we went through. What happen in the late 1700s we were able to take part in carnival. But after 40 years we gain emancipation and we ended up being able to perform in carnival and that's what the colors signifies - our struggling color; we gain it here with the white and the silver and the colorful section is that after all we have been through - we decided to display it beautiful colors."

"As I was finish with the junior, I took a month off and in December I started thinking about what I am going to do because there are some people having this tendency to say that I have a junior man and I have a junior mind - Once you could do a junior man it is easier for a senior band because you don't have to babysit the kids - you can go beyond. Each individual is responsible for themselves."

"I try to do themes that people will love when they come and inspect our costumes. I have positive people dancing. I ask everybody to stay outside and they do exactly what I say - that just speaks a lot about the caliber of people that is dancing with Mahogany Masqueraders. I must say thanks to you all for coming."

"I decided to go senior because my girls are all 18, 21 and 23 years old and they want to dance. They told me that if I can do junior then I must can do senior. I have 111 dancers, the criteria is 100. I am not going to do 200 nor 150, I ain't going to kill myself - each costume here is the same, no costume is inferior to another - every costume, what you see one, you'll see on all."

"There is always difficulty when it comes to finance, but I stay positive. I went to the bank and I got a loan and I have sponsorship from Benny's Home Center - they always come out and they gave me some cash - I need transportation for road march and I need transportation for king and queen. If anybody wants to assist the band, just contact me. It's the first time and I don't have the ropes of getting certain things done but if anybody could kindly assist with a truck for the day and my music it would go a long way."

"My finances are little but I am still getting there with the help of the dancers paying for the costumes. I must say thanks again."

Monica Bodden
"Do you have a number that people can reach you on?"

Nadia Avila - Band Leader
"My cell phone is 627-4013 and my house number is listed in the phone book under Nadia Avila."

Monica is at six camps tonight - and we'll have that story tomorrow.

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