Carnival Arts has been on pause during the pandemic, since no visitors are allowed at the Miami Bridge youth crisis shelter, and the youth we usually work with are staying safe on site. But we are on the cusp of a historic election, so we had a short Carnival Arts revival to help produce the [...]
Author: Celeste Fraser Delgado
Professor of English and Humanities at Barry University. Director of Carnival Arts, an arts learning program for youth in crisis. Founding editor of artburstmiami.com and arts reporter for WLRN-Miami Herald News, Miami Herald, and the Miami New Times.
Les Mis Miami
Today was the first Carnival Arts workshop of the 2019-2020 school year. Miami Bridge staff members Dimychal, Iva, and Pierre accompanied the young artists T., Sk., Shy, J, Sh, Sa., A., J., Jo., who participated and two more who observed. Two students from HUM 308 Storytelling for Social Impact joined: Sergeant Braxton and Miss Chandra. [...]
Super Hero Mask Building Step 1
Last week, the youth and Barry students all invented superheroes, with special superhero moves. This week, we started building masks for our superheroes, using papier mache. This is a tradition used most famously in the Kanaval of Jakmel, Haiti. To inspire us, master drummer Catelus "Ton Ton" Laguerre played Haitian rhythms throughout the workshop. Attendance [...]
Eyebrow Slicer and Super Friends
Eyebrow Slicer Today was the first day of a new project: we are creating our own carnival characters by inventing our own superheroes. Master drummer Catelus "Ton Ton" Laguerre accompanied 17 young artists from Miami Bridge, 4 staff members, Dr. Landeros, 9 Barry students, and 1 community volunteer. We began as always with the energy [...]
September 30, 2018
The Sun is Shivering from Celeste Fraser Delgado on Vimeo. Attendance: The youth were not able to attend, because of an incident at the shelter. Students completed planned activity to practice for next week: Christel Elie Devin Eugenia Judy Jasmine Emmanuela Nakesha
September 23 Nago + Image Theater Workshop
Attendance: Elie Celestin Christel Eugenia Judy Jasmine Emmanuela Nakesha Joan
September 16 Nago Introduction
Attendance: Elie Celestin Christel Eugenia Judy Devin Emmanuela Nakesha Joan
Attendance Sept. 9 2018
Barry Student Artists Elie Celestin Eugenia Massey Miami Bridge Artists Youth Staff Leo, Miss Iva Teaching Artist(s) Celeste Landeros
Siren Song: A Battle between $$ and Culture
What's more valuable: money or culture? Carnival Arts pondered that question with our performance "Siren Song" on November 27, 2016. The Scavenger Queen led her army of skeletons and carrion birds, with their shopping carts overflowing with the discarded treasures of a throwaway consumer society, into a battle against the cultural wealth of Haitian Kongo dancers and drummers and the fierce ancestral power of Brazilian guerreiros. The battle was close, until the Siren Queen and her court descended from the sky and decided the winner. Singing a Cameroonian pop hit in her native Duala, the Siren Queen commanded the youth: "Oh, child, cherish your light. Know your worth!"
Pedicabs!
We have our pedicabs secured. Looking forward to seeing how our wonderful pedicab artists will decorate them! For the Kongo drummers: For Scavenger Queens: