Januka

On the 17th June 2019, thirteen (13) JANUKA Quadrille Dancers travelled from London to Martinique. The purpose of this trip was to take part in their 8th Bi-annual International Quadrille Dance Festival, entitled Haute -Taille et Quadrilles de la Diaspora on the 18th – 23rd June 2019.

Accommodation – Beautiful surroundings Our accommodation for the week was at Villa F3 Piscine Privee. We were housed in 3 self-catering Bungalows, one with a swimming pool. We were captivated by the luscious green surroundings, well-kept lawns, beautiful flowers and tropical trees. If only we had more time to truly relax and enjoy the beauty […]

We were disappointed to have missed the press conference and our 1st performance at L’Apalooza on Day 1 of the festival, due to our delay in getting to Martinique. 1: The Panel discussion – 2nd night – Solemn experience Dressed in our Bandana costumes we travelled at sunset to a place called Genot Exilie for […]

Observing other Quadrille dancers – Spectacular experience When we were not scheduled to dance, we were taken to venues to observe other groups dancing. The atmosphere at these venues full to capacity could be described as celebratory, expectant and appreciative. As expected, the dancers, in an array of costumes, were sophisticated, energetic and elegant in […]

Visit to Habitation Clement (Rum Factory) – Historical Our visit to the rum distillery was surreal. The rum factory is set in 300 hectares of land, owned by Homer Clements, a former Mayor of Francois. Walking around the surrounding mahogany fields was relaxing. The different fruit trees, flowers, and exhibits were captivating. We conversed, socialised […]

The Church Service – Day 6 – A Blessing Early Sunday morning and we were taken to the Catholic Church in town, dressed in our bandana costumes, along with the other International groups. Many of us are not Catholics and were unfamiliar with the order of service, however we soon felt at home when we […]

Visit to Sainte-Anne Beach – Day 7 – Relaxing afternoon A fitting and unexpected send-off and parting thank you gift was provided for us by the Mayor of Sainte-Anne on our last day in Martinique. He had arranged for us to spend some quality time on the white sandy beach and calm Caribbean Sea at […]

Conclusion We are so glad we were able to go to Martinique to take part in their Festival. It was indeed a privilege to take part in such a wonderful programme of events. The people of Martinique do take their Haute –Taille quadrille seriously. We loved that community festive spirit and cultural appropriation. The Festival […]