2007年VOA标准英语-Performers Prepare for Notting Hill Carnival

By Paul Burge
London
24 August 2007
 

London is getting ready to host one of Europe's biggest annual street parties -- the Notting Hill Carnival¹. West Indian immigrants started the carnival as a local festival in the mid-1960s. It is now a much bigger affair. Paul Burge met some of the carnival's performers as they prepared to fill London's streets with a weekend of music, costumes, dance and food.

Traditional music of the Caribbean is an important part of the Notting Hill Carnival

Practicing to fill London's streets with the sound of the Caribbean, music from traditional steel bands is at the heart of the Notting Hill Carnival.

In keeping with the carnival's ethos, performers of all ages get involved. Special pre-carnival events like this one give the youngest performers the opportunity to show-off their skills.

"I was playing and dancing and going through the tunnels and playing," said one youngster. "I enjoyed walking through there and I like carnival," added another.

But the Notting Hill Carnival is not just about music and dance. Along with elaborately decorated floats, performers in larger-than-life costumes will wind through three miles of Notting Hill's streets, all looking to grab the attention of carnival visitors.

Colorful costumes bring the flavor of the West Indies to London each year

At Mahogany, a costume design house in London - performers have spent months working on intricate costumes -- making patterns, sewing, gluing and painting.

The inspiration for their outfits² this year is the 200th anniversary of Britain's abolition³ of the slave trade.

Sadeysa Greenway-Bailey has spent weeks working on her design. "This year the whole band is based on the idea of slavery and the different themes that are involved with that,” she says. “This particular costume is an individual costume and it's based on the idea of how the slaves were never really considered as saints or considered into sainthood."

Generations of carnival performers have passed through the doors of Mahogany since it started business in the 1980s,  highlighting the costume company's role in the local community. It has helped young people from inner city London to develop their skills and confidence through the art of the carnival.

Some costumes require months of work to prepare and test

Clary Salandy is artistic⁴ director of Mahogany. She says she wants the carnival to be about education as well as having a great time.

"I've got people who've been here since they're six years old -- they're 23 now, they're really in the family. Every year: 'where's my costume?' They're really smitten⁵ by it.  Then there are other people for whom it's part of their education, seriously. So they're young people doing art and design at college and just before they go for interviews we help them to put their portfolios⁶ together," she explains.

Carnival organizers say last year's event attracted one million visitors. With its emphasis on maintaining and showcasing the vibrant⁷ traditions of the Caribbean here in London, they hope to draw even more people this weekend.

1 carnival   

n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演

参考例句：

• I got some good shots of the carnival.我有几个狂欢节的精彩镜头。
• Our street puts on a carnival every year.我们街的居民每年举行一次嘉年华会。

2 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

3 abolition   

n.废除，取消

参考例句：

• They declared for the abolition of slavery.他们声明赞成废除奴隶制度。
• The abolition of the monarchy was part of their price.废除君主制是他们的其中一部分条件。

4 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

5 smitten   

猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• From the moment they met, he was completely smitten by her. 从一见面的那一刻起，他就完全被她迷住了。
• It was easy to see why she was smitten with him. 她很容易看出为何她为他倾倒。

6 portfolios   

n.投资组合( portfolio的名词复数 )；（保险）业务量；（公司或机构提供的）系列产品；纸夹

参考例句：

• Price risk arises in non-trading portfolios, as well as in trading portfolios. 价格风险中出现的非贸易投资，以及在贸易投资组合。 来自互联网
• How do we fatten our portfolios and stay financially healthy? 我们怎样育肥我们的投资结构和维持财政健康呢？ 来自互联网

7 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。