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| Winning comparsa - Flora Ancona's "Posse"
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| SP Dance Company dancers participate in Carnaval
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| SPRCS comparsa group
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| Lions "Tribute to Celia Cruz"
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| Sabado Gigante Girls
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Colors, comical comparsas and cheerful celebrations were the key
ingredients of this year's El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro. To kick
things off, Carnaval 2004 came alive as hundreds of enthusiasts joined
the afternoon parade marking the official opening of this three-day
festivity. As expected, the tradition continued as countless groups of
young children emerged from different corners and side-streets of town
armed with tins of water-based paint and raw eggs. Their quest - to
conquer the rest of the participants.
Later in the afternoon, the festive, more traditional side of this
celebration commenced with the popular and ever-comical comparsas
(ethnic street dancers). The San Pedro Lions Club, the San Pedro Dart
Team, various school groups, and Mrs. Flora Ancona's "Posse" were the
Carnaval revelers that revived the comparsas this year depicting
Rappers, the War on Terrorism, Chefs, Hawaiians, a Tribute to Cuban
singer Celia Cruz, and the now controversial Cuban/Mexican artist and
dancer Niurka Marcus of the famed show "Aventurera." The groups danced
from door-to-door, non-stop for many hours, all in the name of charity.
The Carnaval parade added much pizzazz to Sunday afternoon as
members of the San Pedro Dance Company, St. Peter's Elementary School,
and Ramon's Village showed their best "bruk-down" moves. The colorful
costumes and flags mimicked Rio de Janeiro's famous Carnaval parade.
Later in the evening, dancers from the Junior and Senior groups of the
San Pedro Dance Company performed at Central Park, followed by a grand
jump-up with the Punta Boys and Titiman Flores.
The second day of Carnaval brought with it more activity as many
more people from the community participated. Sunday's small groups of
painters ballooned to twice their size. The comparsas livened-up the
afternoon as the merrymaking continued. Fat Tuesday, the final day of
Carnaval, was everything patrons hoped it would be. Scores of children,
youth and the "young at heart" formed a colorful mosaic on the streets
of the island as they gleefully celebrated the last day of Carnaval
with festive spirits. Bright colors adorned the faces and bodies of the
locals (and occasional tourists) who continued the tradition of
painting each other with water-based paint, soot and sometimes
lipstick; a custom unique to San Pedro.
All Carnaval lovers then congregated at Central Park where the San
Pedro Town Council awarded first, second and third prizes to the best-
organized comparsa. First prize went to Mrs. Flora Ancona's "Posse,"
second place to the San Pedro Lions Club and third place to the San
Pedro Dart Team.
On Ash Wednesday, San Pedro residents saw the end of Carnaval 2004
with the revival of the burning of Don Juan Carnaval held at Central
Park. Thumbs up to the hundreds who enjoyed Carnaval 2004 in San Pedro -
a tradition that keeps our culture alive!
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