Talent shines at CDC Vimont

On December 10th 2007, the CDC Vimont Adult Centre of Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board held its first ever Talent Show to help raise funds for the 2007-2008 Graduation. It was a resounding success!

In early November, Denis André and Melissa Cartman approached their teachers, Maggie Soldano and Nancy Sher, with an idea to showcase the talents of some of their peers in our adult center.

The show opened with the very talented Melissa Cartman who bag piped Amazing Grace. Jessica-Joy Hirschfield and Marie Lavigne amazed everyone with their acappellas. Dancers Tarryann Topping and Claudia Michel had everyone hip-hop dancing in their seats, followed by graceful Melissa St. Arnaud’s contemporary dance. Kevin McLaughlin and Steven Nuemann had everyone’s jaw-dropping with their “beat boxing” sounds. Singer Robert Denourakis serenaded us with a beautiful Greek love song and Matthew Mannucci, on the guitar, wowed everyone with his impressive vocals. The audience was also treated to a creative performance from the French Second Language learners Les Onomatopées de Noël: Naila Ahmad, Halima Ainoo, Felicity Atuahene (soloist), Ronnie Fernando, Michel Khamissi, Ling Xia Li (accordion), Maria Macawili, Mohammad Munir, Rene Oviedo Ayala (maestro), Rekhaben Patel, Ordalisa Perez-Lopez, Carolyn Prince, Tamsila Qureshi, Patricia Ramirez, Thi Thanh Mai Tran, and Tatyana Yemtsev) whose performance was inspired by a class activity using onomatopoeia.

Perhaps one of the most poignant parts of the show was Mathieu Chevalier-Desrochers’ original song in remembrance of the horrific events of the Dawson shooting last year.

Denis André, the ever-entertaining emcee closed the show with the help of all the performers and the audience singing Bob Dylan’s Knocking on Heaven’s Door.

Thanks to the support and participation of the staff and adult learners of the CDC Vimont Adult Centre, $840 was raised for this year’s graduation. The CDC Vimont definitely has talent!

- Gaelle Absalonne, Assistant Centre Director of General Education, CDC Vimont

Photo:Vimont

(Photo:Martin Alarie)