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122-467: Born in Port of Spain , Trinidad , Pearl Primus was two years old when she moved with her parents, Edward Primus and Emily Jackson, to New York City in 1921. In 1940, Primus received her bachelor's degree from Hunter College in biology and pre-medical science. As a graduate student in biology, she realized that her dreams of becoming a medical researcher would be unfulfilled, due to racial discrimination at

244-461: A 110-member symphony orchestra (the world's largest permanent orchestra at that time), a solo theater pipe organist, a male chorus, a ballet company, and a famous line of female precision dancers, the "Roxyettes" . Elaborate stage spectacles were created each week to accompany the feature film, all under Rothafel's supervision. The theater's orchestra and performers were also featured in an NBC Radio program with Roxy himself as host. The Roxy Hour

366-615: A Broadway production called Calypso whose title became Caribbean Carnival . She also appeared at the Chicago Theatre in the 1947 revival of the Emperor Jones in the "Witch Doctor" role that Hemsley Winfield made famous. In 1947 Primus joined Jacob's Pillow and began her own program in which she reprised some of her works such as Hard Time Blues. In her program she also presented Three Spirituals entitled "Motherless Child", "Goin' to tell God all my Trouble", and "In

488-533: A collaboration that ended only with his death in 1979. In 1959, the year Primus received an M.A. in education from New York University , she traveled to Liberia , where she worked with the National Dance Company there to create Fanga , an interpretation of a traditional Liberian invocation to the earth and sky. Primus believed in sound research. Her meticulous search of libraries and museums and her use of living source materials established her as

610-473: A costume department, staff dry-cleaning and laundry rooms, a barber shop and hairdresser, a dining room, a completely equipped infirmary, and a menagerie for show animals. There were also myriad offices, a private 100-seat screening room, and massive machine rooms for the electrical, ventilation and heating machinery. The theater's large staff also enjoyed a cafeteria, gymnasium, billiard room, nap room, library and showers. The theater's stage innovations included

732-564: A dance history which embraces ethnic unity, the establishment of an articulate foundation for influencing future practitioners of African dance, the presentation of African dance forms into a disciplined expression, and the enrichment of American theater through the performance of African dance. Additionally, Primus and the late Percival Borde, her husband and partner, conducted research with the Liberian Konama Kende Performing Arts Center to establish

854-589: A dance scholar. Primus focused on matters such as oppression, racial prejudice, and violence. Her efforts were also subsidized by the United States government who encouraged African-American artistic endeavors. Primus died from diabetes at her home in New Rochelle, New York, on October 29, 1994. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush honored Primus with the National Medal of Arts . She was

976-449: A day between showings of the feature film, The Black Rose . The Roxy's stage was rebuilt twice, in 1948 and 1952, to add the ice surface for skating shows. During the latter refurbishing, the stage was extended into the house over the orchestra pit, and colored neon was embedded in the ice. Ice shows were presented, along with the feature film, on and off through the 1950s. In January 1956, skating star Sonja Henie brought her revue to

1098-443: A diagonal auditorium with the stage in one corner of the lot. It maximized the auditorium's size and seating capacity but compromised the function of its triangular stage. The Roxy's stage, while very wide, was not very deep and had limited off-stage space. Despite this limitation, the theater boasted lavish support facilities including two stories of private dressing rooms, three floors of chorus dressing rooms, huge rehearsal rooms,

1220-590: A financial centre for the Caribbean and Central America region. Two of the largest banks in the Caribbean, Republic Bank, Trinidad and Tobago Limited and Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (RBTT, reacquired by the Royal Bank in 2008) are headquartered here or base their Caribbean operations in the city. Trinidad's economy is based on natural gas and oil. No heavy industrial sites are located in Port of Spain, but

1342-470: A large agricultural market, known as the "central market" where food produced in the surrounding hinterland is traded. In 1999/2000 there were 40 Government/Assisted schools located in the Port of Spain Administrative Area. There were 17,957 students enrolled in primary schools and 15,641 enrolled in secondary school. In secondary schools, 7,567 were male and 8,074 were female. Education

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1464-700: A major oil refinery and many petrochemical and iron and steel plants exist or are planned for sites south of it and closer to San Fernando. However, the oil and gas majors and some service companies have located their headquarters in the city to be in close proximity to government services, infrastructure and the high quality of life many citizens of Port of Spain enjoy. Some of the oil and gas company headquarters located in Port of Spain (many others are found in San Fernando & Point Lisas) include BPTT, BGTT (British Gas), BHP Billiton, EOG Resources, Fluor, Repsol YPF, Atlantic LNG and Baker Hughes. Trinidad and Tobago

1586-446: A mish-mash of gothic-style cathedrals, mosques and Hindu temples testifying to the diversity of cultures. It is home to African , Indian , French, English, Irish, Scottish , Welsh , Spanish , Portuguese , Venezuelan , Colombian, Bajan , Guyanese , Jamaican , Guadeloupean, Martinicquan , Dominican, Saint Lucian, Grenadian , Bahamian , Belizean , Surinamese , Chinese , Jewish, and Arab immigrants, most of them arriving since

1708-483: A municipal population of 49,867 (2017), an urban population of 81,142 and a transient daily population of 250,000. It is located on the Gulf of Paria , on the northwest coast of the island of Trinidad and is part of a larger conurbation stretching from Chaguaramas in the west to Arima in the east with an estimated population of 600,000. The city serves primarily as a retail and administrative centre and it has been

1830-870: A performance group was called "Earth Theatre". As an artist/ educator, Primus taught at a number of universities during her career including NYU, Hunter College , the State University of New York at Purchase , the College of New Rochelle , Iona College , the State University of New York at Buffalo , Howard University , the Five Colleges consortium in Massachusetts. She also taught at New Rochelle High School, assisting with cultural presentations. As an anthropologist, she conducted cultural projects in Europe, Africa and America for such organizations as

1952-403: A performing arts center, and with a Rebekah Harkness Foundation grant to organize and direct dance performances in several counties during the period of 1959 to 1962. Primus and Borde taught African dance artists how to make their indigenous dances theatrically entertaining and acceptable to the western world, and also arranged projects between African countries such as Senegal, Gambia, Guinea and

2074-609: A private residence, then the office of the prime minister from 1963 to 2010; Mille Fleurs, once a private residence, is undergoing full restoration as a public museum and headquarters for the National Heritage Trust and was sold to the Government in 1979; Roomor, an ornate black-and-white château-like building that remains a private residence; and Stollmeyer's Castle, a turreted house supposedly modelled on Balmoral Castle . The slow pace of building restorations over

2196-735: A ring of trees round its perimeter, the Savannah was never really landscaped, except for the small area in its northwest corner called the Hollows, a former reservoir now drained and planted with flowering shrubs. Immediately north of the Savannah—also the northern limit of the city of Port of Spain—are the Royal Botanic Gardens , the Emperor Valley Zoo , President's House (recently abandoned after one end fell down),

2318-451: A rising orchestra pit which could accommodate 110 musicians, and a three-console Kimball theater pipe organ . The film projection booth was recessed into the front of the balcony to prevent film distortion caused by the usual angled projection from the top rear wall of a theater. This enabled the Roxy to have the sharpest film image for its time. Courteous service to patrons was a key part of

2440-602: A sense of African pride in his students and asserts that he taught Primus about African dance and culture. Dafora began a movement of African cultural pride which provided Primus with collaborators and piqued public interest in her work. Primus explored African culture and dance by consulting family, books, articles, pictures, and museums. After six months of thorough research, she completed her first major composition entitled African Ceremonial . This piece served as an introduction to her swelling interest in Black heritage. She based

2562-484: A small parcel near its centre that served as the Peschier cemetery, which remains in private hands). At first it was used as a vast cattle pasture in what was then the town's suburbs, but by the middle of the 19th century it had become established as a park. Until the early 1990s, horse racing was held frequently at the Savannah race track, and it also contains several cricket , football and rugby pitches. Apart from

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2684-508: A song by folk singer Josh White . The choreography for this piece, which was made in protest of sharecropping, truly represented Primus' movement style. This piece was embellished with athletic jumps that defied gravity and amazed audiences. But Primus explained that jumping does not always symbolize joy. In this case, her powerful jumping symbolized the defiance, desperation, and anger of the sharecroppers which she experienced first-hand during her field studies. Primus believed that when observing

2806-566: A spot became available for a dancer, Primus was hired as an understudy, thus beginning her first theatrical experience. She discovered her innate gift for movement, and she was quickly recognized for her abilities. Within a year, Primus auditioned and won a scholarship for the New Dance Group , a left-wing school and performance company located on the Lower East Side of New York City. Primus began her formal study of dance with

2928-619: A temporary North Stand and raised stage are constructed in front of the Grand Stand, creating the "Big Yard", Carnival's central location since the early 20th century (previously, the main viewing area for Carnival was in downtown Port of Spain). From this location the Parade of Bands is broadcast live to the nation on Carnival Monday and Tuesday; it is also the venue for the Calypso Monarch and Carnival King and Queen Competitions and

3050-615: Is a conscious art and those who view it should be impacted. The organization trained dancers like Primus to be aware of the political and social climate of their time. Primus' exposure to this newfound form of activism encouraged the themes of social protest found in her works. Primus continued to develop her modern dance foundation with several pioneers such Martha Graham , Charles Weidman , Ismay Andrews , and Asadata Dafora . Amongst these influencers, Dafora's influence on Primus has been largely ignored by historians and unmentioned by Primus. However, Marcia Ethel Heard notes that he instilled

3172-606: Is a leading city in the Caribbean region. Trinidad and Tobago hosted the Fifth Summit of the Americas in 2009, whose guests included US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . Port of Spain is also home to the biggest and most successful stock exchange in the Caribbean, the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange (TTSE). The Nicholas Tower , as well as other skyscrapers, are well known throughout

3294-525: Is also recorded for an Amerindian settlement in this area; this may have been a separate village, another name for Cumucurapo, or the result of miscomprehension by early Spanish settlers, who established a port here: Puerto de los Españoles , later Puerto de España . In 1560, a Spanish garrison was posted near the foot of the Laventille Hills, which today form the city's eastern boundary. The part of today's downtown Port of Spain closest to

3416-522: Is considered one of the wealthiest nations in the Caribbean and some of this wealth is on display in Port of Spain. High-income proceeds from the international sale of natural gas has aided the country in the Port of Spain International Waterfront project constructed on former Port Authority Land. The Port of Port of Spain is the country's major port for containerized shipping followed by the Port of Point Lisas. Cruise ships also dock at

3538-493: Is free and compulsory up to secondary school. Port of Spain school leavers, as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, do not pay tuition to study at local & regional public and private tertiary institutions except for graduate studies where they pay a heavily subsidised fee. There are several prominent tertiary institutions in Port of Spain and environs, in particular the St. Augustine campus of the three-campus, Caribbean-wide University of

3660-564: Is geologically incorrect. Over 465 species of birds, and 100 species of mammals can be found in these mountains, making it one of the most biodiverse mountain ranges in the Caribbean . The Northern Range runs from the Chaguaramas Peninsula in the west to Toco in the east and consists mainly of steeply dipping metasedimentary rocks and lush rainforest containing a wide variety of plants and animal species. Port of Spain lies at

3782-434: Is located to the south-eastern area of St. Ann's. Cascade borders St. Ann's by a hill named Mount Hololo, a neighbourhood of both middle class and exclusive housing developments. Maraval is home to the exclusive Trinidad Country Club and right next door to the popular Long Circular Mall. Further afield, west of Diego Martin, lies the suburb of Westmoorings, which is known for its expensive Miami style highrise apartments facing

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3904-437: Is relatively small, and reflects the narrow city boundaries including the central business district and a number of economically depressed and a few upscale adjoining suburbs. In addition to the official population, the adjacent East–West Corridor conurbation has a population close to 600,000 people and the "big city" feel with its suburban car dominated commuting. The corridor is the built-up area of north Trinidad stretching from

4026-477: Is the current mayor of Port of Spain. The electoral districts are: Port of Spain became a "city" in 1914; the ordinance was passed on 29 May and was proclaimed by the Governor on 25 June 1914. The first city councillors were elected on 2 November. Among them were oil pioneer Randolph Rust, lawyer and social activist Emmanuel Mzumbo Lazare and Dr. Enrique Prada, who was elected chairman by the council and became

4148-466: Is the island's second largest wetland after the east coast Nariva Swamp which is almost twice as large. It has well over 160 species of birds, including the national bird, the scarlet ibis . It is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions with visitor facilities and regular guided boat tours. Some of the city lies on land reclaimed from the Gulf of Paria , the calm sheltered bay separating Trinidad from Venezuela, while other parts climb into

4270-759: The American Dance Festival ; The National Culture Award from the New York State Federation of Foreign Language Teachers; Commendation from the White House Conference on Children and Youth. Port of Spain Port of Spain , officially the City of Port of Spain (also stylized Port-of-Spain ), is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago and the third largest municipality, after Chaguanas and San Fernando . The city has

4392-528: The Café Society nightclub in New York City before heading off to Africa. Primus was so well accepted in the communities in her study tour that she was told that the ancestral spirit of an African dancer had manifested in her. The Oni and people of Ife, Nigeria, felt that she was so much a part of their community that they initiated her into their commonwealth and affectionately conferred on her

4514-612: The Center Theatre when the owners of the original Roxy sued Rockefeller Center for rights to the Roxy name. After Rothafel's departure, the Roxy Theatre never quite regained its former glory, but remained a leading New York showcase for film and stage variety shows. In 1942, A. J. Balaban , co-founder of the Balaban & Katz theater chain, began nearly a decade as its executive director. He came out of retirement to run

4636-644: The Ford Foundation , US Office of Education, New York University, Universalist Unitarian Service Committee, Julius Rosenwald Foundation, New York State Office of Education, and the Council for the Arts in Westchester. Primus' sojourn to West Africa has proven invaluable to students of African dance. She learned more about African dance, its function and meaning than had any other American before her. Primus

4758-610: The Nicholas Brothers , Carmen Cavallaro , and The Harmonicats . Even classical ballet dancers, such as Leonide Massine , performed there. Balaban invited the New York Philharmonic to the Roxy along with soprano Eileen Farrell for a two-week engagement in September 1950. Appearing for the first time as the main attraction at a movie palace, the orchestra played an abbreviated concert program four times

4880-477: The Roxy Theatre . African Ceremonial was re-envisioned for the group's performance. At that time, Primus' African choreography could be termed interpretive, based on the research she conducted and her perception of her findings. Primus would choreograph based on imagining the movement of something she observed, such as an African sculpture. Over time Primus developed an interest in the way dance represented

5002-637: The Time-Life building . Eliot Elisofon 's photograph of Gloria Swanson amidst the theater's ruins appeared in the November 7, 1960 issue of LIFE . The theater can briefly be seen from the air, during its demolition, in the prologue of the film West Side Story , across 7th Avenue from the back of the Winter Garden Theatre . The spectacular stage and screen programming ideas of the Roxy's founder continued at Radio City Music Hall into

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5124-454: The 1960s at about 100,000 people. Since then the population within the city limits has declined in size as the downtown area has become increasingly commercial and the suburbs in the valleys north, west, and north-east of the city have grown. Today Port of Spain is the western hub of a metropolitan area stretching from Carenage, 8 kilometres (5 mi) west of the city, to Arima, 24 kilometres (15 mi) east; this East–West Corridor runs along

5246-497: The 1970s. Its lavish Christmas stage show, created in 1933 by the Roxy's former producer and choreographer, Leon Leonidoff and Russell Markert, continues to this day as the Radio City Christmas Spectacular . The Music Hall itself was saved from demolition by a consortium of preservation and commercial interests in 1979, and remains one of New York's entertainment landmarks. Its restored interior includes

5368-443: The 2011 census. The city experienced an average annual growth rate of −2.3% between the censuses of 2000 and 2011 Port of Spain's diverse population reflects two centuries of immigration and this shows in the architecture of its buildings. The city features French colonial 'ginger bread' style houses, buildings with New Orleans reminiscent wrought-iron railings and wooden fretwork set beside modern high-rise towers and strip malls with

5490-568: The Bealson Theatre. Here she performed a work that was choreographed to Langston Hughes' poem " The Negro Speaks of Rivers ". The poem addressed the inequalities and injustices imposed on the black community, while introducing comparisons between the ancestry of Black people to four major rivers. Primus' dance to this poem boldly acknowledged the strength and wisdom of African Americans through periods of freedom and enslavement. In 1945 she continued to develop Strange Fruit (1945) one of

5612-437: The Caribbean. The city is also home to the largest container port on the island and is one of several shipping hubs of the Caribbean, exporting both agricultural products and manufactured goods. Bauxite from Guyana is trans-shipped via facilities at Chaguaramas , about 8 kilometres (5 mi) west of the city. The pre-lenten Carnival is the city's main annual cultural festival and tourist attraction. Today, Port of Spain

5734-525: The Great Gettin'-up Mornin'." These pieces were rooted in Primus' experience with black southern culture. This cannon of Negro spirituals, also referred to as " sorrow songs " branched from slave culture, which at the time was a prominent source of inspiration for many contemporary dance artists. Following this show and many subsequent recitals, Primus toured the nation with The Primus Company. While on

5856-661: The Knowsley Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building. The western edge of the Savannah, along Maraval Road, is the location of the Magnificent Seven, a group of late Victorian and Edwardian buildings built in an eccentric and flamboyant variety of styles. These are the recently well restored Queen's Royal College ; the residences of the Anglican bishop and the Roman Catholic archbishop; Whitehall, once

5978-647: The Negro Freedom Rally, in June 1943, at Madison Square Garden before an audience of 20,000 people. In December 1943, Primus appeared as in Dafora's African Dance Festival at Carnegie Hall before Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune . Within the same month, Primus, who was primarily a solo artist, recruited other dances and formed the Primus Company. The company performed in concerts at

6100-475: The New Dance Group in 1941, she was the group's first black student. She trained under the group's founders, Jane Dudley , Sophie Maslow , and William Bates. Through this organization, Primus not only gained a foundation for her contemporary technique, but she learned about artistic activism. The New Dance Group's motto was "dance is a weapon of the class struggle", they instilled the belief that dance

6222-523: The Northern Range. Port of Spain's largest open space—and the world's largest traffic roundabout —is the Queen's Park Savannah , known colloquially simply as "the Savannah". It occupies about 110 hectares (260 acres) of level land, and the distance around the perimeter is about 3.5 km (2.2 mi). Once sugar land, it was bought by the town council in 1817 from the Peschier family (except for

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6344-471: The Roxy formula. The theater's uniformed corps of male ushers were known for their courtesy, efficiency, and military bearing. They underwent rigorous training and daily inspections and drills, overseen by a retired Marine officer. Their crisp attire was favorably mentioned by Cole Porter in a stanza of the song " You're the Top " in 1932. The Roxy presented major Hollywood films in programs that also included

6466-568: The Roxy in her final New York appearance. Widescreen CinemaScope was introduced at the Roxy with the world premiere in 1953 of 20th Century-Fox 's film The Robe . The Roxy had also introduced the original 70mm widescreen format " Fox Grandeur " in 1930 with the premiere of Fox Films ' Happy Days . Due to the Great Depression , however, the Roxy was one of only two theaters (with Grauman's Chinese ) equipped for 70mm Grandeur, and it never caught on. Another widescreen format,

6588-481: The Spanish Cedula of Population of 1783. Prominent Port of Spain citizens include Derek Walcott (Nobel Prize Literature 1992) and former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara . Roxy Theatre (New York City) The Roxy Theatre was a 5,920 -seat movie palace at 153 West 50th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, just off Times Square in New York City . It was the largest movie theater ever built at

6710-594: The United States Government to bring touring companies to this country. Primus' approach to developing a movement language and to creating dance works parallels that of Graham, Holm, Weidman, Agnes de Mille and others who are considered to be pioneers of American modern dance. These artists searched literature, used music of contemporary composers, glorified regional idiosyncrasies and looked to varied ethnic groups for potential sources of creative material. Primus, however, found her creative impetus in

6832-551: The West Indies , which had a local campus enrollment of 15,571 in academic year 2007/2008. The University of Trinidad and Tobago has several campuses and institutes in the greater Port of Spain area including the Chaguaramas Centre for Maritime Studies. Port of Spain has a population of 18,008 males and 19,066 females, with 5,694 businesses and is home to 12,333 households with an average size of 2.9 according to

6954-478: The area bounded by the St. Ann's River, thus establishing the grid pattern which has survived in downtown Port of Spain to the present day. Along the sea shore was the Plaza de la Marina (Marine Square), a parade ground. By 1786, the town had a population of about 3,000. Realising that the St. Ann's River, prone to flooding, was impeding the expansion of the town, Chacón had its course diverted in 1787 so that it ran to

7076-492: The area immediately east of the diverted St. Ann's River; the district is still called Sea Lots today. Gradually the landfill crept west and the area south of Plaza del Marina became solid land. Further major reclamation efforts took place in the 1840s, the 1870s, and in 1906. In 1935 the Deep Water Harbour Scheme dredged the offshore area along Port of Spain's western neighbourhoods, and the dredged material

7198-405: The black community. Her many works 'Strange Fruit', Negro Speaks of Rivers , Hard Time Blues , and more spoke on very socially important topics. Her creative endeavors in political and social change makes Primus arguably one of the most political choreographers of her time because of her awareness of the issues of African Americans, particularly during the period between World War I and II. Primus

7320-402: The capital of the island since 1757. It is also an important financial services centre for the Caribbean and is home to two of the largest banks in the region. The Piarco International Airport is the main airport on the island, connecting the capital to various major global destinations. Port of Spain was also the de facto capital of the short-lived West Indies Federation , which united

7442-540: The capital, Port of Spain, 24 kilometres (15 mi) east to Arima. It includes the towns of Barataria , San Juan , St. Joseph, Curepe , St. Augustine , Tunapuna , Tacarigua , Arouca , and Five Rivers, once distinct communities and now districts within a continuous urban area. For the most part it runs along the Eastern Main Road, between the Churchill–Roosevelt Highway and the foothills of

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7564-476: The capital; the new British colonial government renamed most of the streets after British royalty or military figures, but allowed Chacón Street (which followed the old course of the St. Ann's River) to retain its name, in tribute to the former governor. In 1803, Port of Spain began growing southwards, with the reclamation of the foreshore mudflats, using fill from the Laventille Hills. This began with

7686-565: The city which are under construction or planned. Port of Spain is administered by the Port of Spain City Corporation. There are 12 councillors and 4 aldermen. The mayor is elected from the membership of the council. The council is presided over by the mayor, who is effectively the chief custodian of the city. It formulates policy and gives direction for the running of the city through a number of standing committees which each meet at least once per month. Decisions are then ratified at

7808-491: The city, temperature inversion is quite frequent. Immediately north and northwest of Port of Spain lie the suburbs of Cascade, St. Ann's and Maraval. The last one falls outside the municipal boundary, but is sometimes considered an extension of the city. St. Ann's is notable for being the location of the Prime Minister's official residence and diplomatic centre. Cascade, a mainly suburban area with treed lot type housing

7930-607: The cultural heritage of the African American. She gained a lot of information from her family who enlightened her about their West Indian roots and African lineage. The stories and memories told to young Pearl, established a cultural and historical heritage for her and laid the foundation for her creative works. Primus' extensive field studies in the South and in Africa was also a key resource for her. She made sure to preserve

8052-503: The dance on a legend from the Belgian Congo, about a priest who performed a fertility ritual until he collapsed and vanished. This thoroughly researched composition was presented along with Strange Fruit , Rock Daniel , and Hard Time Blues , at her debut performance on February 14, 1943, at the 92nd Street YMHA . Her performance was so outstanding that John Martin , a major dance critic from The New York Times stated that "she

8174-478: The east of the city, along the foot of the Laventille Hills. (During the rainy season the river still had a tendency to overflow its banks, flooding parts of the city; over the decades its channel would be widened and paved. During the dry season the water level drops to a trickle; hence its nickname, the East Dry River.) Port of Spain was now able to continue spreading northwards and westwards, encroaching on

8296-545: The eastern section of the E-W corridor – the regional University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus and the multi campus local University of Trinidad and Tobago whose main campus is on the Arima outskirts. The city has a tropical monsoon climate ( Köppen Am ) characterized by warm to hot temperatures year-round, with little seasonal variation due to its proximity to the equator, though nighttime temperatures dip somewhat during

8418-460: The efforts of the Holy Fathers". By 1757, the old capital, San José de Oruña (modern Saint Joseph ), about 11 kilometres (7 mi) inland, had fallen into disrepair, and Governor Don Pedro de la Moneda transferred his seat to Port of Spain, which thus became Trinidad's de facto capital. The last Spanish Governor of Trinidad, Don José Maria Chacón , devoted much of his time to developing

8540-484: The federal government, is a memorial to that time. In July 1990, an extremist group held the prime minister and members of parliament hostage for 5 days while rioting and looting shook Port of Spain. The damage was a significant setback to the city's commercial district at a time of severe economic hardship, yet businesses returned. In 2005 there was an unprecedented series of small bombings in Port of Spain which caused injuries to bystanders. They ceased in October 2005 but

8662-413: The finals of the Panorama steelpan competition. The architecturally soothing arches and curves of the Port of Spain National Academy for the Performing Arts (see picture and caption) dominate the south boundary of the Savannah between the green trimmed landmarks of Memorial Park (in remembrance of fallen soldiers during World Wars I and II) and the gingerbread styled, limestone built, colourful splendour of

8784-535: The first mayor of the City of Port of Spain. For several convocations all city MPs are from People's National Movement . Port of Spain is a shopping and business centre for much of the country. Most government offices are also located in the city and many important government services can only be accessed in the Ministry offices located downtown. Within recent years, local banks headquartered here have helped it become

8906-486: The general population. To address the problem, East Port of Spain Development Company was formed in 2005 with a mandate to develop and redevelop a zone in east Port-of-Spain to improve the economic, social and physical environment of those areas. Large parts of Port of Spain's Eastern entrance have been cleared of old warehouses and substandard housing. There are several new government housing projects in

9028-419: The hills above the city. Geographically, the Port of Port of Spain is ideal for maritime traffic, providing a natural harbour on Trinidad's north-western coasts where adverse weather conditions are extremely rare. Unlike Chaguanas and San Fernando , Port of Spain has a comparatively cool climate due to the surrounding Northern Range mountains. In the valleys and mountains that surround the northern outskirts of

9150-423: The involuntary gasps from the audience...." Primus' athleticism made her choreography awe-striking. She preserved traditional movements but added her own style which includes modified pelvic rotations and rhythmic variations. As she moved Primus carried intensity and displayed passion while simultaneously bringing awareness to social issues. Primus' strong belief that rich choreographic material lay in abundance in

9272-451: The isolation and articulation of body parts, and rhythmically percussive movement, can be observed in the movement of Zollar and many others. These similarities show that Primus' style, themes, and body type promoted the display of Black culture within the dance community. Pearl married Yael Woll in 1950, Manhattan , New York. They were divorced by 1957. Primus married the dancer, drummer, and choreographer Percival Borde in 1961, and began

9394-471: The jumps in the choreography, it was important to pay attention to "the shape the body takes in the air". For Hard Time Blues, the shape of the body was a predictor of the emotional state of the poor sharecroppers. In 1946, Primus continued her journey on Broadway was invited to appear in the revival of the Broadway production Show Boat , choreographed by Helen Tamiris . Then, she was asked to choreograph

9516-474: The large towns of San Juan, Tunapuna and Arima. With congestion rendering downtown inaccessible during peak hours, major shopping centres like Valsayn Shopping Centre, Grand Bazaar and Trincity Mall have sprung up at highway intersections. The last two are noted for being among the largest shopping centres in the country and in the Caribbean, with 60,000 square metres (600,000 sq ft) of commercial space in each. Two large Universities have been established in

9638-561: The lives of people in a culture. Primus was also intrigued by the relationship between the African-slave diaspora and different types of cultural dances. With an enlarged range of interest, Primus began to conduct some field studies. In the summer of 1944, Primus visited the Deep South to research the culture and dances of Southern blacks. She posed as a migrant worker with the aim "to know [her] own people where they are suffering

9760-514: The lynching ground and the horror of what she has seen grips her, and she has to do a smooth, fast roll away from that burning flesh." Primus depicts the aftermath of the lynching through the remorse of the woman, after she realized the horrible nature of the act. The intention of this piece introduces the idea that even a lynch mob can show penitence. Primus' work continued to push boundaries as she re-developed another one of her debut pieces, Hard Time Blues (1945). She choreographed this dance to

9882-609: The mainland (now Venezuela ) and up the Orinoco River . The French naval commander Comte d'Estrées visited in 1680, and reported that there was no Port of Spain. But in 1690, Spanish governor Don Sebastien de Roteta reported in writing to the King of Spain : In 1699, the alcalde of Trinidad reported to the king that the natives "were in the habit of showering scorn and abuse upon the Holy Faith and ridiculed with jests

10004-460: The mezzanine. Off the rotunda was a long entrance lobby that led through the adjacent Manger Hotel to the theater's main entrance at the corner of Seventh Avenue and W. 50th Street. The hotel (later called the Taft Hotel ) was built at the same time as the theater. Ahlschlager succeeded in creating an efficient plan for the Roxy's irregular plot of land, utilizing every bit of space by designing

10126-527: The most money ($ 4000) ever given. After receiving this funding, Primus originally proposed to develop a dance project based on James Weldon Johnsons work "God's Trombones. But instead she decided to conduct an 18-month research and study tour of the Gold Coast , Angola , Cameroons , Liberia , Senegal and the Belgian Congo . On December 5, 1948, Primus closed a successful return engagement at

10248-419: The most." She observed and participated in the daily lives of black impoverished sharecroppers. Primus fully engulfed herself in the experience by attending over seventy churches and picking cotton with the sharecroppers. After her field research, Primus was able to establish new choreography while continuously developing some of her former innovative works. Primus made her Broadway debut on October 4, 1944, at

10370-446: The new capital. He compelled the island's Cabildo (governing council) to move to Port of Spain, and he limited its powers to the municipality. The 1783 Cedula of Population, which encouraged the settlement of French Catholics in the island, led to a rapid increase in the town's population and its geographical extension westwards. From the small cluster of buildings at the foot of the Laventille Hills, eleven streets were laid out west to

10492-492: The official residence of the prime minister, and Queen's Hall, the city's major performing arts venue. Lady Chancellor Road, which ascends the hills overlooking the Savannah, is one of Port of Spain's most exclusive residential areas and is the current home of former West Indies cricketer and record breaking batsman, Brian Lara. On the Savannah's southern side is the Grand Stand, formerly used for viewing horse races, now used for various cultural events, most notably Carnival , when

10614-542: The perpetrator has not been charged. Port of Spain measures about 10.4 km (c. 4 sq. mi) in area and is located in the northwest section of the island of Trinidad, between the Gulf of Paria , the Northern Range and the Caroni Swamp . The Northern Range is the range of tall, biodiverse hills across the northern portion of Trinidad and is considered an extension of the Andes mountains of South America, although that

10736-410: The pieces she debuted in 1943. This dance was based on the poem by Lewis Allan about a lynching. When analyzing the dance, one can see that the performer is portraying a female character's reaction after witnessing a lynching. Many viewers wondered about the race of the anguished woman, but Primus declared that the woman was a member of the lynch mob. "The dance begins as the last person begins to leave

10858-494: The port which has: public international cargo-handling facilities for containerised, break-bulk, Roll-on/Roll-off and dry/liquid bulk cargo The Port also operates the ferry service between Trinidad & Tobago, as agents of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Tourism is targeted for expansion and is a growing sector in the city's economy, but it is not as important as in other Caribbean cities. Port of Spain has

10980-630: The recipient of numerous other honors including: The cherished Liberian Government Decoration, "Star of Africa"; The Scroll of Honor from the National Council of Negro Women; The Pioneer of Dance Award from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre; Membership in Phi Beta Kappa ; an honorary doctorate from Spelman College ; the first Balasaraswati/ Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Chair for Distinguished Teaching at

11102-532: The region. These buildings dominate the city's skyline. Some of the tallest skyscrapers in the Caribbean are located in Port of Spain. Port of Spain was founded by the Spanish as Puerto España . The first settlement was near the site of the Amerindian fishing village of Cumucurapo ("place of the silk cotton trees "), located in the area today known as Mucurapo, west of the city centre. The name Conquerabia

11224-647: The regulations of the Statutory Authorities Service Commissions Ordinance. Following an election in 1887, Michel Maxwell Philip became the mayor, a position that had previously been held by only whites. Bridget Brereton wrote in her 2002 book Race Relations in Colonial Trinidad 1870–1900 that "perhaps this marks the emergence of the coloured man as a political force in Trinidad". Chinua Alleyne

11346-477: The root experiences of a people has been picked up and echoed in the rhythm and themes of Alvin Ailey , Donald McKayle , Talley Beatty , Dianne McIntyre , Elo Pomare and others. Her work has also been reimagined and recycled into different versions by contemporary artists. Many choreographers, such as Jawolle Willa Jo Zollar , created projects inspired by Primus' work. Primus choreography which included bent knees,

11468-510: The sea was once an area of tidal mudflats covered by mangroves . The first Spanish buildings here, in the 16th and 17th centuries, were open mud-plastered ajoupas, interspersed between large silk cotton trees and other trees. The fort was a mud-walled enclosure with a shack inside, a flagpole, two or three cannon, and few Spanish soldiers. This was captured during Walter Raleigh 's expedition in April 1595. The Caribs were transient, travelling to

11590-509: The seafront. One of Trinidad's poshest shopping centres, The Falls at West-Mall, lies at the centre of these developments. As you head west beyond Carenage settlement is sparse, however the peninsula known as Chaguaramas, which was once a large US Army Base, has become a mecca for hundreds of international cruisers and a world major yacht storage and repair hub. To the east along the East–West Corridor, also falling outside city limits, lie

11712-511: The southern edge of the Northern Range . From 1958 to 1962, Port of Spain was the temporary capital of the short-lived West Indies Federation , though there were plans to build a new federal capital at Chaguaramas , on land occupied by the US military base established during World War II . Federation Park , a residential neighbourhood in western Port of Spain intended to house employees of

11834-451: The statutory meeting of the council, which takes place on the last Wednesday of each month. The policies and directives of the council are executed by the administrative arm of the corporation, which is headed by the chief executive officer and has under her charge a number of senior officers and a workforce of about 3,000 daily-paid and 300 monthly-paid employees. The chief executive officer and her staff are public servants functioning under

11956-715: The successful and innovative theater operator Samuel L. Rothafel, aka "Roxy" , enticing him with a large salary, a percentage of the profits and stock options, and even offering to name the theatre after him. It was intended as the first of six Roxy Theatres in the New York area. Roxy was determined to make the theater the summit of his career, realizing all of his theatrical design and production ideas. He worked with Chicago architect Walter W. Ahlschlager and decorator Harold Rambusch of Rambusch Decorating Company on every aspect of its design and furnishing. Roxy's lavish ideas and many changes ran up costs dramatically. A week before

12078-463: The surrounding sugar-cane plantations. In 1797, Trinidad was invaded by a British force under General Sir Ralph Abercromby . The British landed west of Port of Spain, at what is still called Invaders Bay, and marched towards the town. Realising his military resources were inadequate to defend the colony and wishing to avoid unnecessary destruction, Governor Chacón capitulated and was able to negotiate generous terms with Abercromby. Port of Spain remained

12200-422: The theater at the urging of Spyros Skouras , the head of the Roxy's parent company, National Theatres, as well as 20th Century-Fox Studios. Balaban restored the theater to profitability with access to first-run Fox films, as well as the production and presentation of first-class live shows. Among his innovations were building an ice rink on the Roxy stage, and engaging many of the era's noted performers, such as

12322-472: The theater from National Theatres. Following the end of Windjammer 's run, the theater's capacity was increased. One of the Roxy's last big combined shows was in 1959, with the feature film This Earth Is Mine starring Rock Hudson and Jean Simmons , followed by The Big Circus starring Victor Mature . On the stage were Gretchen Wyler , The Blackburn Twins, Jerry Collins, and The Roxy Orchestra. The Roxy closed on March 29, 1960. The final movie

12444-610: The theater named for him for Rockefeller Center , where he opened the new Radio City Music Hall and RKO Roxy theaters. Most of the Roxy's performers and artistic staff moved to the Music Hall with him, including producer Leon Leonidoff, choreographer Russell Markert, and conductor Erno Rapee . The Roxyettes went on to greater fame at the Music Hall, where they became the Rockettes in 1935 (and where their successors continue performing today). The RKO Roxy soon changed its name to

12566-514: The theater opened, Lubin, $ 2.5 million over budget and near bankruptcy, sold his controlling interest to movie mogul and theater owner William Fox for $ 5 million. The theater's final cost was $ 12 million. With Lubin's exit, Roxy's dreams of his own theater circuit also ended. Only one other of the projected Roxy chain was built: the Roxy Midway Theatre on Broadway, on Manhattan 's Upper West Side , also designed by Ahlschlager. It

12688-507: The theater's appearance had been altered considerably from its original lavish 1920s design. The big orchestra pit was mostly covered by the stage extension, and the organ consoles were removed. The elegant lobby areas, however, remained largely intact. In 1956, the theater was acquired by the Rockefeller family for $ 6.1 million and leased back to National Theatres. In 1958, Rothafel and an independent syndicate took over management of

12810-446: The three-projector Cinemiracle , also debuted at the Roxy on a curved 110-foot screen with the 1958 film Windjammer which resulted in the capacity being reduced to 2,710. Part of the proscenium and side walls were removed to accommodate the huge Cinemiracle screen, and much of the rest of the auditorium was covered in heavy drapes. From 1955 on, the theater's managing director was Roxy Rothafel's son, Robert C. Rothafel. By this time

12932-433: The time of its construction in 1927. It opened on March 11, 1927 with the silent film The Love of Sunya starring Gloria Swanson . It was a leading Broadway film showcase through the 1950s and also noted for its lavish stage shows. It closed and was demolished in 1960. The theater was conceived by film producer Herbert Lubin in mid-1925 as the world's largest and finest movie palace. To realize his dream, Lubin brought in

13054-510: The time that imposed limitations on jobs in the science field for people of color. Because of society's limitations, Primus was unable to find a job as a laboratory technician and she could not fund herself through medical school, so she picked up odd jobs. Eventually Primus sought help from the National Youth Administration and they gave her a job working backstage in the wardrobe department for America Dances . Once

13176-483: The title "Omowale" — the child who has returned home. During her travels in the villages of Africa, Primus was declared a man so that she could learn the dances only assigned to males. She mastered dances like the war dance Bushasche, and Fanga which were common to African cultural life. When Primus returned to America, she took the knowledge she gained in Africa and staged pieces for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. In 1974, Primus staged Fanga created in 1949 which

13298-535: The traditional forms of expression that she observed. In this way she differed from other dance groups who altered the African dances that they incorporated into their movements. Her view of "dance as a form of life" supported her decision to keep her choreography real and authentic. Primus fused spirituals, jazz and blues, then coupled these music forms with the literary works of black writers, and her choreographic voice — though strong — resonated primarily for and to

13420-416: The university and college circuit, Primus performed at Fisk University in 1948, where Dr. Charles S. Johnson , a member of Rosenwald Foundation board, was president. He was so impressed with the power of her interpretive African dances that he asked her when she had last visited Africa. She replied that she had never done so. She then became the last recipient of the major Rosenwald fellowships and received

13542-440: The western end and the city climbs into the hills and valleys which are settled and largely deforested. The two tallest peaks are El Cerro del Aripo and El Tucuche which top 900 m (3,000 ft). The 3278 hectare protected Caroni Swamp has long formed a physical barrier to the city's expansion to the south, forcing urban growth relentlessly eastward at the expense of a traffic relieving ring road. This west coast mangrove area

13664-399: The winter months from January to March. Temperatures typically range from 19 to 34 °C (66.2 to 93.2 °F), rarely above 35 °C (95 °F) or below 17 °C (62.6 °F). The wet season lasts from May to December, and the dry season lasts from January to April of the following year. Between December and February, it can become mild at night. Port of Spain's official population

13786-602: The years remains a concern. Housing in Port of Spain ranges from luxurious waterfront apartments to board houses lacking indoor plumbing and motor vehicular access. Continued pressure for expansion of commercial development in Woodbrook and uptown POS (Port of Spain proper) has led to a rapid rate of decline in the city's population over the past 4 decades. The private development scheme at Damien street Woodbrook recently provided 350 luxury-apartments, but those are unaffordable to most, even though they were originally intended for

13908-476: Was The Wind Cannot Read , a British film with Dirk Bogarde , which opened March 9. The Roxy was acquired by Rockefeller Center in 1956, then sold to developer William Zeckendorf . It was Initially purchased to obtain air rights for the Time-Life Building , built to its east. Zeckendorf had it demolished for an expansion of the Taft Hotel , and for an office building that is now connected to

14030-402: Was a Liberian dance of welcome that quickly made its way into Primus's iconic repertoire. She also staged The Wedding created in 1961. These pieces were based on the African rituals Primus experienced during her travels. Primus took these traditionally long rituals, dramatized them, made them shorter, and preserved the foundation of the movement . Primus learned a plethora in Africa, but she

14152-402: Was a powerhouse dancer, whose emotions, exuberance, and five-foot-high athletic jumps wowed every audience she performed for. Her performance of Hard Time Blues was described by Margaret Lloyd: "Pearl takes a running jump, lands in an upper corner and sits there, unconcernedly paddling the air with her legs. She does it repeatedly, from one side of the stage, then the other, apparently unaware of

14274-477: Was broadcast live weekly from the theater's own radio studio. As a result, Roxy's theater was known to radio listeners nationwide. In spite of the theater's fame and success, the stock market crash of 1929 created financial problems for its majority owner, the Fox Film Corporation . This destabilized the Roxy's complex operations, and it was often saddled with inferior films. In 1932, Rothafel left

14396-486: Was entitled to a company of her own." John Martin admired her stage presence, energy, and technique. He described her as a remarkable and distinguished artist. After gaining much praise, Primus' next performances began in April 1943, as an entertainer at the famous racially integrated night club, Cafe Society Downtown . For 10 months her energy and emotion commanded the stage, along with her stunning five-foot-high jumps. She continued to amaze audiences when she performed at

14518-477: Was known as a griot , the voice of cultures in which dance is embedded. She was able to codify the technical details of many of the African dances through the notation system she evolved and was also able to view and to salvage some "still existent gems of dances before they faded into general decadence." She has been unselfish in sharing the knowledge she has gained with others. The significance of Primus' African research and choreography lies in her presentation of

14640-627: Was nearly completed when it was sold to Warner Bros. , who opened it as Warner's Beacon in 1929. Known as the "Cathedral of the Motion Picture", the Roxy's design by Ahlschlager featured a soaring golden, Spanish-inspired auditorium. Its main lobby was a large columned rotunda called the Grand Foyer, which featured "the world's largest oval rug", manufactured by Mohawk Carpets in Amsterdam, New York, and its own separate pipe organ on

14762-581: Was still eager to further her academic knowledge, Primus received her PhD in anthropology from New York University (NYU) in 1978. In 1979, she and her husband Percival Borde, whom she met during her research in Trinidad, founded the Pearl Primus "Dance Language Institute" in New Rochelle , New York, where they offered classes that blended African-American, Caribbean, and African dance forms with modern dance and ballet techniques. They also established

14884-436: Was used to fill in the area south of Woodbrook. Wrightson Road, linking downtown Port of Spain to its western suburbs, was constructed at the same time. These reclaimed lands were originally called Docksite, and were home to US forces during World War II; later a number of government buildings were constructed here. Port of Spain continued to grow in size and importance during the 19th and early 20th centuries, peaking in size in

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