Signal Hill Alumni celebrates Christmas samba style

Signal Hill Alumni Choir (SHAC) hosted its annual Christmas concert at the Signal Hill Secondary School on December 12, under the theme Coming 10 Joyeaux Noel. The dynamic and rhythmic chorale served a sumptuous Christmas menu, and presented traditional  Christmas carols in a distinctive Signal Hill alumni style, infusing soca, calypso, reggae and even samba.  The John Arnold led singers showcased their well known choreography, splicing in contemporary hip hop along with samba and bebop steps, much to the delight of the audience. We Three Kings was done reggae style, and Mary’s Boy Child, samba-style with accompanying dance routines.

Soloist Ajamu Daniel’s  I’ll have a Blue Christmas done the Elvis Presley way was well received. Founded in 1984, the SHAC, was awarded the Hummingbird Gold award for national service in the field of culture in 1997; the Trinidad Express Group of the Year honours in 2001; and Icon on the Nations in 2002. The Choir celebrated 25 years in 2009 and returned from a two-week tour on Canada in July.  Choreographer and foundation member Georgina Peterkin said the group had been in practise for past eight months. She added that the choreography was a big challenge for the operatic choir as it sought to put the movements that went with the words so they would always tell a story on stage. Guest artistes were 2008 Digicel Rising star winner, Kay Alleyne, who opened the show, the Alternative Quartet, and Our Boys Steel Orchestra.