Paddington Arts Showcase Review

13-15 of July, Paddington Arts held their annual showcase each night. The theme was “100% recycled.” The showcase was primarily dance based, but highlighted a variety of talents, including photography, drums, vocals, and spoken word. The performers represented several skill levels and age groups, ranging from young children to late teens. Preparations for the show began in January. However, some performers joined as recently as three weeks ago.

Overall, the showcase was very pleasant to watch. The youngsters had obviously put lots of practice into their performances. The numbers flowed together seamlessly and there were not any disruptive errors. As an audience member, it was gratifying to see kids step on the stage and immediately change, embodying confidence and swagger. It was also lovely to see the smiles on their faces as they were cheered on by family members and friends. Watching this diverse group of kids come together and bond over performance is truly a special experience.

Although all performances were great, some performances that stood out to me included the steel pan performance, Conxpect’s “hopes and fears,” Jush & Zeon’s “duo dance piece,” the break dancers, and Sham Sham’s “solo.” The three girls in the steel pan performance managed to stay on tempo and produce a beautiful song, despite complicated rhythms. Hopes and fears was an emotional, reflective song that was perfectly performed and well paired with simple dance moves. Jush and Zeon danced with an effortless looking swagger, executing complicated dance sequences on the floor. The break dancers were especially impressive, considering their young ages. They told a story through their dance moves and kept the audience engaged. Finally, Sham Sham exuded confidence and her movements flowed perfectly. These artists display that there is a plethora of young talent in the community that deserves to be celebrated.