DOMINICA OVERSEA NATIONALS ASSOCIATION
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DOMINICA OVERSEAS
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
DONA Quadrille Dancers
DONA
The quadrille is a dance that was fashionable in late 18th- and 19th-century Europe and its colonies. The quadrille consists of a chain of four to six contredanses, courtly versions of English country dances that had been taken up at the court of Louis XIV and spread across Europe. Latterly the quadrille was frequently danced to a medley of opera melodies.
Performed by four couples in a rectangular formation, it is related to American square dancing. The Lancers, a variant of the quadrille, became popular in the late 19th century and was still danced in the 20th century in folk-dance clubs. A derivative found in the Francophone Lesser Antilles is known as kwadril, and the dance is also still found in Madagascar and is within old Jamaican / Caribbean culture.
Source: Wikipedia
The Quadrille Dance Group was formed in 1988 to add cultural flavour to the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the association. As quadrille dancing is the National dance of the Commonwealth of Dominica, the dancers concentrated on this aspect in their cultural event. As this was somewhat new, it captured and entertained the audience.
Since then, the group has been in great demand, especially in cultural events. The quadrille group have performed in the UK London Boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Hackney, Hammersmith, Walthamstow and as far afield as Birmingham, Hitchin and Liverpool.
The group consists of ten people – five men and five women. However, only eight dancers perform at any one performance. 1998 was an exceptionally busy year for the quadrille group primarily due to the “Windrush” celebrations.
Making A Tet Kase
Below are some of the places the quadrille dancers have performed:
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Celebration Commonwealth Parade, Golden Jubilee Celebrations, Buckingham Palace, London
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Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London
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Acton Extravaganza, Acton, London
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African Caribbean Centre, Ives Farm
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African Caribbean Women, Lloyds Park Theatre, London
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Grenada & Cariacou Trust
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Hackney Street Carnival, Hackney, London
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Hackney Social Services, Hackney, London
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Hackney Ma De Gras, Hackney, London
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Hammersmith & Fulham’s Cultural Festival, Hammersmith, London
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Holy Trinity Church, Tottenham, London
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Interchange Studios, Kentish Town
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London Borough of Ealing’s Black History Month celebrations
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Mary Secole Nurses Launch, Ealing, London
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Priory Community Centre, Acton, London
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Quadrille Festival, Priory Community Centre, Acton, London
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Senior Citizens Antilles House (History Week)
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Stoke Newington Elderly Centre, Stoke Newington
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The Wormwood Scrubs Prison, East Acton, London
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Welbourne Centre, Tottenham, London
The objective of the DONA Quadrille Dancers is to see Dominican culture maintained. Those persons who have an affinity to the “Nature Island” should join us and make this objective a reality. The quadrille group welcomes all persons. Please contact Mrs Ethelca Brand M.B.E., M.S.A., for further information.