Preparing For The Parade – Q&A With A Mas Band Champion
Posted July 19, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Plain and simple, without Mas Bands, there would be no Caribana Carnival Parade. The Carnival Parade is the climax of Toronto’s larger-than-life celebration of colour and culture and every year Mas Bands compete to take home the championship title as the event’s best.
Curtis Eustache, a band leader from Carnival Nationz, the reigning parade champs for two years running, gave us an inside look at what goes into preparing for the spectacular event.
Q: What is the most important part of a band’s preparation?
You have to have a theme and it’s gotta be a good one. Carnival Nationz has four band leaders Marcus Eustace, Bryce Aguiton and Dwayne Pitt and I. Together we toss around ideas until we get one that we like. This year our theme is The Big Top.
Q: How did you decide on that theme?
We won in 2005 and in 2006 and this year we decided we wanted to have as much fun as possible. The Big Top is a circus theme and it goes along with our attitude this year. Where do you have more fun than at the circus?
Q: After you picked the themes how do you decide on the costumes?
After we do Caribana we go down to the Trinidad Carnival, which happens around Ash Wednesday. We usually find a lot of ideas and materials there. Then we come home and start making the costumes.
Q: What is that process like?
It takes three months to make the costumes. We get our friends and families involved and they’re the ones who do most of the sewing and actual putting-together. We sell costumes at Caribana for $145 but if I calculated all the time and effort that goes into making each one, I’m sure it’s much more than that!
Q: In terms of physical preparations, how long do you practice for?
Ha! That is the easy part. If you’re from the Caribbean, you don’t need to practice. The rhythm is already in your blood!
