分类： entertainment

The Commonwealth of Dominica has officially presented its five distinguished finalists for the upcoming Miss Teen Dominica 2026 pageant. The candidates made their inaugural public debut during a ceremonial launch event hosted at the Alliance Française on Wednesday, marking the commencement of this highly anticipated national competition.

The selected cohort represents various educational institutions across the island: Jeffrine Joseph from Castle Bruce Secondary School, sponsored primarily by the Waitukubuli Dance Theatre Company; Joyette Carbon of Portsmouth Secondary School, backed by Climate Limited and several beauty and wellness enterprises; Janeece Williams from Goodwill Secondary School, supported by New India Insurance Co. Ltd.; Marina Jno Baptiste from Operation Youth Quake, sponsored by the Department of Social Services; and Ladira Dyer of Isaiah Thomas Secondary School, with sponsorship from Springfield Trading and S-Mart Pharmacy.

This prestigious event, celebrating youth excellence and cultural representation, is scheduled for Sunday, February 8th, with the coronation ceremony commencing at 5:00 PM. The pageant serves as a platform to showcase the talents, intelligence, and cultural awareness of Dominica’s younger generation, while simultaneously promoting community engagement and national pride through its sponsorship network involving local businesses and governmental departments.

The Commonwealth of Dominica has unveiled an ambitious new cultural initiative with the official launch of the National Gospel Festival, branded as ‘Glory in Paradise.’ Spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism and Discover Dominica Authority, this groundbreaking event represents a strategic fusion of spiritual celebration and tourism development, scheduled for February 28, 2026, at Windsor Park Sports Stadium.

The festival emerges as a collaborative endeavor between government entities, faith-based organizations, and community stakeholders, designed to enhance Dominica’s event calendar while attracting international visitors. Unlike traditional music festivals, ‘Glory in Paradise’ will offer free admission while encouraging voluntary donations, making it accessible to both residents and tourists alike.

Tourism Minister Denise Charles Pemberton emphasized the government’s serious commitment to the event, noting that it receives identical strategic prioritization and operational resources as the internationally acclaimed World Creole Music Festival. This parallel treatment underscores the administration’s conviction that faith-based tourism represents a growing market segment worthy of institutional support.

Marva Williams, CEO of Discover Dominica Authority, reinforced this stance, confirming that the festival benefits from the same professional production standards and promotional machinery typically reserved for flagship events. The organizational approach signals a deliberate diversification of Dominica’s tourism offerings beyond conventional sun-and-sand vacations.

The musical lineup reflects both local talent and international acclaim, featuring Dominican artists including DJ Alfie, J-Cro, and Sanctified alongside Caribbean gospel stars Carlene Davis (Jamaica) and Positive (Trinidad and Tobago). The international roster includes Nigerian powerhouses Sinach and Ada Ehi, complemented by American gospel sensation Travis Greene.

Beyond musical performances, the event will incorporate elements of prayer, fellowship, and thematic devotions focusing on family unity, youth development, national progress, and environmental stewardship. Organizers specifically highlight opportunities for Christian youth and local artists to gain exposure through collaboration with established regional and international acts.

The Ministry of Tourism has extended gratitude to faith leaders and community advocates who contributed to the festival’s conceptualization, acknowledging that continued cooperation across governmental, private, and religious sectors will prove essential for the inaugural event’s success. Further details and updates will be disseminated through official channels in coming weeks.

The 2025 Calypso season intensified as thirty-two competing artists determined their performance order through a traditional “dipping ceremony” held at Calypso House this week. The envelope selection process generated palpable tension among participants, with many considering specific positions particularly daunting due to the psychological pressure of either opening or closing the show.

Event organizers characterized the atmosphere as simultaneously electrifying and anxiety-inducing, noting that performance sequence can significantly impact artistic presentation and judge perception. The ceremony attracted substantial media attention and artist participation, underscoring the cultural importance of this carnival tradition.

Notable performance slots include veteran Daddy Chess taking position 27 with “Leaking Roof,” while Haxey will appear early at number 3 performing “Wretched of the Earth.” Liberator secured the mid-show spot at number 15 with “We Can Come Together,” and Mika will perform at number 28 with “We Little but We Large.” The complete roster showcases a dynamic blend of established icons and emerging talents, including Mighty Omi (1), Rebs (2), Jamma B (6), and Lady S (11), culminating with Abiyah closing the competition at position 32.

The quarterfinal competition will commence at 8:30 PM on January 17th at Windsor Park Sports Stadium Forecourt, locally renowned as “the Factory.” Thirty-two calypsonians will compete for twenty advancement spots to the semifinal round, maintaining the event’s competitive intensity.

Ticket pricing structure offers multiple access levels: early bird online purchases at $30, general admission at $50, reserved seating at $60, and premium VIP packages at $100. VIP benefits include elevated viewing platforms, big-screen visibility, complimentary beverages, and gourmet finger foods. Organizers emphasized their balanced approach to accessibility and premium experience curation.

The ceremony additionally functioned as the official prelude to Dominica’s Carnival inauguration, featuring a sponsored truck parade scheduled for this Saturday. The Calypso Association will present live performances by the Swinging Stars Band alongside calypsonians performing both contemporary compositions and traditional road march classics.

Event coordinators extended appreciation to tourism ministry partners and commercial sponsors, acknowledging their indispensable role in sustaining this cultural tradition. With the performance sequence now established, anticipation grows for what promises to be an exceptionally competitive quarterfinal round, embodying the vibrant spirit of Dominican musical heritage.

Dominica becomes the epicenter of Caribbean cultural innovation as it hosts the landmark L’Orizon artistic residency from January 5-13, 2026. This transformative gathering brings together seven distinguished creatives from Dominica, Martinique, and Saint Lucia to collectively reimagine the region’s storytelling traditions through multidisciplinary collaboration.

The residency, organized under the An Ba Lanmè initiative—a trilateral cultural cooperation project—challenges conventional narratives by exploring how Caribbean identities are constructed and shared. Participants including Caribbean Afro-futurism writer Michael Roch (Martinique), performer Ethan James (St Lucia), and circus artists Serena Williams, Irina Khade Elwin, and Russel Raymond (Dominica) will engage in intensive dialogue and creative exchange in Cochrane village.

Central to the program is examining whose perspectives dominate Caribbean storytelling, which heritages receive emphasis, and what realities define the contemporary Caribbean experience. The initiative uniquely integrates circus arts and performative practices alongside visual and literary arts, recognizing the region’s rich tradition of embodied storytelling that transcends linguistic barriers.

Beyond artistic exploration, the project addresses urgent regional concerns including climate change impacts, economic diversification, and sustainable development. Organizers emphasize that narrative reconstruction directly influences economic prospects, as traditional tourism imagery becomes increasingly incompatible with environmental realities like seaweed invasions, natural disasters, and coastal erosion.

The residency features extensive community engagement, including movement workshops led by N’jelle Thorne, exhibitions by the Waitukubili Artist Association, and conferences on cultural industries’ role in education and economics. Critical youth involvement includes January 7 workshops with Goodwill Secondary School students envisioning new Caribbean futures and January 9 theatrical improvisation sessions in Cochrane.

Nicolas Derné, Artistic Director of Zofi Association, states: ‘This residency creates shared expression space for Caribbean artists and structures a sustainable cultural ecosystem. New narratives emerge from interdisciplinary intersections across the Caribbean—this diversity sustains a creative ecosystem that becomes a development lever for our territories.’

The program culminates years of planning under An Ba Lanmè’s mission to revive historical and cultural connections between Caribbean islands, operating on the principle that ‘the sea connects more than it separates.’