Clowns



 The clowns are a part of our folk culture that finds expression at Christmas time in a festival that has been celebrated for hundreds of years. Usually one of the largest troupes with as many as fifty players, they have provided entertainment for years. The typical clown suit is a loose costume of two colours generously decorated with tiny bells which jingle as they perform their famous whip-swinging dances. The elegance and grace at which the clowns perform as they serpentine behind and between each other is a spectacle to behold. The pink wire mesh mask worn as part of the costume, hiding the face of the performer, apparently depicts the European, and is a feature of almost all the local folk dance characters. The sounds of bells and the crack of the Hunter, a leather whip carried by each performer, punctuates the rhythms of the String Band, biding closer the dancers to the musicians.

                                              Moko-Jumbies



 An all time favourite, has its origin in West Africa. Stilt walkers or Moko-Jumbies as they are called locally, have been passed on from African mythology, particularly in the Ghana area. The name Moko, though its origin is not clear, is said to be the name of the God of Vengeance while on the other hand it is believed that the word Moko is a corruption of the word Macaw. The macaw is a very tall palm tree covered with thorns and it is felt that the Moko-Jumbies may be trying to resemble it, especially so, since their head piece is symbolic of the heart of the macaw plant when it is in bloom. They are dressed in a long gown and dance on six to eight foot stilts. Many theories have surrounded their dance, and although we may never know which is true, one cannot deny that seeing someone dance without fear on six to eight foot tall stilts provides much amusement and thrill. 

                                                  Masquerade



 Masquerade in St. Kitts can be described as an art form created by the syncretism of peoples of African and European descent over a period of 300 years. This is perhaps the most popular of the Carnival sports. The Masquerades who have maintained their prominence as being typically Kittitian are seen wearing tall peacock-feathered headdresses, masks, trousers and long-sleeved shirts; over the trousers are skirt-aprons which are completely fringed and reach just above the knees. The entire costume is decorated with bangles, mirrors and ribbons. Dance experts have identified elements of European and African genres, which include the “Wild Mas”, the Waltz, Quadrille, the Rhumba, the Fertility Dance, the Fine Dance, the Jig and the Boillola.
 The “Quadrille” which has its roots in 17th-Century France is the first dance and danced by couples to a slow, structured pace defined by the country and elegance of the various dance figures.
 The “Fine” which is the second dance is decidedly faster and demands greater skill as the dancers dance on one foot towards each other meeting in the centre of the ring and performs a Fertility Dance which is traceable to the mating dance of Africa.
 The real spectacle in dance comes when the masquerades break into a frenzy of “Wild Mas” Throwing their tomahawks into the air much to the delight of onlookers. This dance is typical of the African war dance.
 The “Jig” introduces a new dance position where the right foot hooked behind the left foot, the dancer displays his skill with the tomahawk. This dance follows right into the “Boillola” another dance movement where the tomahawk is held between their legs while the dancers jump and clap to the music, moving from side to side.
 The mimicry of Europeans in dance is perhaps best reflected in the “Waltz” where the dancers pair off into couples and perform simple ballroom dance steps to a moderately fast triple meter.