International Institute Annual Spring Ball

RPCV Katie Dyer and guest enjoyed this year's Spring Ball

A sizeable crowd of multi-ethnic people filled the Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet for the 18th annual Spring Carnival Ball.  The carnival atmosphere was enhanced by more numerous and various "human puppets" than in years past.  The attire ranged from the very formal to eccentric costumes.  Costumes from Portugal, Liberia, and Dominican Republic won first, second, and third place respectively.

Black Sea Salsa, an Afro-Cuban Jazz band from Boston, headlined. Black Sea Salsa is a 15-piece World-Music group made up of 6 horns, 4 vocalists, and 5 percussions.  The crowd rumbaed, tangoed and puntaed with fervor.
The Latin Rhythm Dancers opened and wowed the crowd with speedy youthful exuberance yet polished dance moves that was more like a professional dance troop than one would expect from a pre-teen-teen group.

Top: left to right Dyllis Brooks, Anika Young, Franceen Johnson, Akyla Young. Bottom: Tyrin and Nia Johnson, Blessin and Fortune Premy, rpcv Stan Premy.  Blessin is six years and two weeks old.  She attended her 7th consecutive Spring Carnival.  All evening gowns were sewn by Norma Brooks of Belize.