Page 21 - AAA 7 DEC 2015
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6 ZATERDAG                                                                                                           AMIGOE
       5 DECEMBER 2015

                        Krea Dansa

                        A wish will sure come true when you go for it. Dennis Puriel had the wish to launch a dancing group when
                        he left the Netherlands to come back to Curaçao. He wanted to give something back to the community
                        of Curaçao, especially the youth. He wanted to pass on the knowledge that he acquired when he was
                        abroad, and present to Curaçao another level of dancing that already existed, but in a different way.

                        By Jade Mambre

                        Krea Dansa started in 2006 with kids aged      “We do all kinds of dances. We focus more
                        15 and above. “When I arrived here on Cu-      on the technique of, for instance, jazz and
                        raçao, I looked for a few familiar people to   classic. We dance Salsa, merengue, Afri-
                        start dancing and training, without having     can dances, hip-hop, contemporary, and
                        a name for the group. After a few months       more.” Not to mention the dances of our
                        we received an invitation to dance. Then,      own beautiful island called wals, mazurka,
                        as we became bigger, we had the chance         and tumba. “We always try to include typi-
                        to perform at the Miss Curaçao pageant.        cal Curaçao music, and bring it forward
                        After that, we danced at Luna Blou and         differently, so in another style.” They also
                        at Bandabou, for Kas di Kultura.” In 2013,     focus on the characteristics of the theater
                        they came up with ‘Krea Dansa for Kids’,       when the kids are at a younger age, as
                        which is for kids between the ages of 5        they perform in the theater, sometimes.
                        and 12, as there were a lot of requests
                        coming in from parents.                        Furthermore, Krea Dansa performs at
                                                                       different events. For example, they per-
                        Krea Dansa, the name of the group, was         formed at the Miss Curaçao pageants in
                        simply invented during a practice for an       2008 and 2009, two years ago at Miss
                        event. “Now that we are becoming more          World, with artists that performed on Cu-
                        serious, we need a name to be able to          raçao and at the Tumba Festival [an an-
                        present the group,” said Dennis Puriel.        nual music competition to choose the Car-
                        So when they all paid attention to what        nival road march song]. Krea Dansa even
                        they were doing, they came across the          received a contract of 7 to 8 months by the
                        words ‘create’ and ‘dance’, in Papiamentu      Curaçao Tourist Board to dance for tour-
                        respectively ‘krea’ and ‘baile’. As a result,  ists around 2010. “We were also chosen
                        WKH RI¿FLDO QDPH EHFDPH µ.UHD 'DQVD¶    to represent Curaçao in Cuba at Valle del
                        They used word ‘Dansa’ [a dance with           Caribe.”
                        corresponding music] to give the name a
                        nice and chic touch.                           Each year, they have a minimum of 10
                                                                       shows, and a maximum of 30, at a vari-
                        Dennis Puriel has a purpose for Krea           ety of events. These past few years, they
                        Dansa. That is to present a different way      started giving their own shows at Teatro
                        of dancing here on Curaçao, especially         Luna Blou or La Tentashon, each year.
                        for people who are underprivileged, and        This year’s theme show is called The Four
                        to try to form the members of the group        Elements.
                        as human beings, especially in the area of
                        discipline, to enable them to become bet-      “We dance differently.” They are differ-
                        ter dancers, and to prepare them and give      ent. “What the world of dance out there
                        them guidance to confront the outside          requires is what we bring.” They make up
                        world, if they want to continue dancing.       their own dances. They are Krea Dansa!
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