A tribute to Mas

Carnival is not a seasonal profession for Paul Singh but a year round job. 
Singh is the bandleader of Dream Team Carnival. This year its presentation, is called, I AM, a tribute to Singh’s deceased father, Ranjit who was the first Indian dance troupe leader to perform on local television in the early 60s.
I AM, honors the work and accomplishments of Singh’s father and is also the inspiration for its 2014 presentation. There are 12 sections, this year: Radiance, Exotica, Rhythm, Passion, Bacchanal, Carnival, Savage Innocence, Tribal, Bacchus, Poseidon, Freedom and Galactic Warrior.

At this moment the sections Rhythm and Savage Innocence are sold out.
 He said, “2014 is the first year Dream Team will be making a serious effort at taking part in the actual competition aspect of the

Tuesday parade and we are very optimistic about making it to the top based on the presentation and the impressive number of large designs that will be forming part of the band together with the proposed choreography and overall presentation.”
The past seven years has seen continuous growth for Dream Team, he said. Some of its past presentations include: Rhythmnation, Bejeweled, One, Gems of the World, The Art of Dance, Untamed and Flashback.

He said, “Our masquerader base is made up of mostly young professionals between ages 17 and 35 years old so we plan and present our band to satisfy this market. Our disc jockeys and performers also fall within that bracket. Dream Team Carnival competes in the Large Band category and although we have won countless prizes during our existence, our most satisfying was third place in the large category at the Downtown Carnival Competition in 2011 and Band of the Day in 2007.”

The Dream Team Carnival committee was formed in July 2006 by Singh who was one of the managers in charge of logistics for the now dissolved band Poison. 

SOURCE: Trinidad Express

Dream Team launches The Art of Dance

Stephanie Legall models one of the costumes

for Dream Team’s C2K11 presentation—The Art

of Dance. Photo: Kyron Grandison

Saturday will see one of Trinidad’s highest energy Carnival bands launch its production for Carnival 2011—The Art of Dance—which focuses on some of the most exciting dances worldwide, all of which are performed here in T&T. Dream Team, in its short history, has been able to capture the true spirit of Trinidad Carnival with presentations that pay tribute to T&T’s various cultural backgrounds, living in harmony. Communications executive director for the band Pat Garcia-Sumadh said, “Trinidad Carnival is now capturing one of the largest viewing audiences worldwide, therefore it’s important that we showcase the most positive attributes of our twin-island state, dance being one of our passions as a multi-culturally united people.” She further explains that dance in many forms has been adopted by the progressive youth of T&T, as a means of self-fulfilment amongst other talents. Sections for The Art of Dance include Latin Fever (Salsa); Soukouss (African); Chinese Fan Dancers (China); Chutney Bacchanal (Trinidad); Dancers of the Nile (Belly Dance); Rio Rio (Brazil); and, Fire Dance (Caribbean).


A total of 12 sections will form the presentation The Art of Dance for Dream Team Carnival 2011. The band launch is being hosted with a grand costume presentation and party at the secured grounds of the UWI Social Club, Agostini Street, St Augustine. Garcia further explained, “our database has revealed that approximately 50 per cent of our masqueraders come from the east, central and south, so with this in mind we have decided to “level the playing field” by expressing our appreciation to those loyal supporters and host our 2011 band launch at a more centrally located and convenient venue. “Additionally, Dream Team has a fast growing number of masqueraders’ participation from UWI, Costaatt, UTT, Mt Hope Medical faculty and Roytec.


Students from these institutions are entitled to complimentary entry to the event before 11 pm, using their student identification cards, as proof.”

All previous Dream Team masqueraders are also entitled to a complimentary ticket for this launch, which can be collected directly from their section leader, or at the band house, anytime during the hours of 3 pm to 6 pm. Dream Team’s band house and office is located at 76 Picton Street, Newtown, and its hotlines are 756-2449, in the north; and, 680-0076 in the south. Advance tickets are available at the band house during the above hours and at the venue on the day of the launch from noon to 6 pm. Gates open at 10 pm, with the costume presentation at 11.30 pm, and Garcia added, “after which we party until the wee hours of the morning with some of T&T’s finest club and radio DJs, living up to our signature status of ‘energy in motion’ both for this launch and on the road for Carnival 2011.
SOURCE