LAST Tuesday, the fifth season of the TEENage Observer Expression Tours kicked off at the Belair School in Mandeville, Manchester.

The school offered to us 13 incredible performers with talents ranging from drumming to rapping and even dub step dancing. As the students filed into the auditorium for a fun-filled afternoon, the performers all waited backstage nervous and excited as they prepared for their time in the spotlight.

Our first performer, Daunte Forbes, delivered a smashing drum solo, which set the bar for the students to follow.

Following was Crystal McLeod, showed that she had not overcome her backstage nerves, when she sang Nicole Mullen’s song Call On Jesus.

Afterwards The Grade 7 Girls: Sheneike Thompson, Diandra Cassanova, Deshontay Duyer, Gia Nunura, Rajel Goulbourne, Arianna Ricchiuti and Santianna Powell gave a unique dance piece.

Ashtania Stewart, then really made us ‘feel’ the music as she sang Jesus Take The Wheel.

There was an abundance of singers among the performers and while Erin Facey had no difficulties singing the popular Adele song Chasing Pavements, performers Raven Harris and Charlene Hyatt experienced technical difficulties during their performance.

However, Melissa Wiltshire and Latia Stewart both gave us solo performances void of any problems. The crowd favourite seemed to be The Belair Rappers — Brandon Nembhard, Jermaine Marshall and Gib Samuels — who rapped an original creation and set the crowd ablaze.

But the judges’ favourite proved to be Zantia Duncan with her extraordinary performance of the popular Louise Bennett Poem Cuss-Cuss.

Two of the most unique performance by far were Kayci-Ann King’s reggae-themed recorder piece and Gia Nunura’s interesting dub step dance solo.

The competition ended with an Ensemble from The Grade 7 Dancers — Rushane Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Rayon Coley and Kamanie Thompson — along with Shane Kidd, their trumpetter and Daunte Forbes on the drums.

Throughout the show there were various giveaways. The students were happy to entertain their schoolmates by answering questions and even modelling for prizes.

The team from Seprod provided the students with refreshing beverages (and there was even a drinking race that caused much excitement in the auditorium).

Student performances aside, one of the guest acts Caution Dance Group from Central High in Clarendon took the stage. The six-member group, who were among the 16 groups who competed for the TEENage Observer Expressions Tour title for 2011-2012, rocked the stage with their amazing dance moves.

The show, however, came to an end and the TEENage crew couldn’t announce the winners and without the students seeing dancehall artiste Versatile close the show.

The next day, however, it was revealed to the school that in third-place were the Belair Rappers, second-place Daunte Forbes and in first-place Zantia Duncan. Duncan has booked the first slot fo rthe TEENage Observer Exression Tours finals at the end of the school year.