From conflict to harmony, K2K stands united

In a space where every creed and race finds an equal space, as this country celebrates its 55 Independence, K2K Alliance and Partners is out to demonstrate that in every culture there are stellar examples of peace and harmony. The band’s 2018 presentation brings light, through costuming, to the fact that in all things love and harmony exists. This example will be illustrated through a cinematic experience, incorporating theatre and costuming, says Kathy and Karen Norman of K2K Alliance and Partners. The three-time medium band of the year winner will be hosting its 2018 band launching this Saturday. The band retained its medium band of the year title, this year, with its presentation At The Helm. Its 2018 theme is We Stand United.

The National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) will be filled with the sights and sounds of a band whose work has captured masqueraders across TT.

The launch, the Norman twins said in a previous interview, will discuss serious issues taking place in TT and across the globe. In emailed responses to exactly what is going to be discussed, the Norman sisters said, “love, loss, brotherhood, conflict, and unity.”

Those attending can also look forward to an exhibition titled The Tudor Rose (War of the Roses) on NAPA’s ground level. The 2018 band will consist of three clusters with six sections. The band’s three clusters are APAC (Asia Pacific), EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and Americas. The six sections are The Dragon & The Fan, Peacock Feathers & Dupattas, The Tudor Rose (War of the Roses), Siyahamba, To Andalucía with Love and Totem.

Each of the clusters and sections brings conflict back to harmony. In a phone interview, Kathy said, “Each of the sections depicts a different country. The Tudor Rose is a depiction of Britain and what it represents is the war between two houses in England. It is the period in England whereby the whole segment is called War of the Roses. It was a fight between two families for the throne and control of England. In the end what you kind of learn about is the tale of two families coming together. There was the family that wore the white rose and the family that wore the red rose and in order to form harmony the two families married. And today what is known as Tudor Rose is actually a pink rose. So it is actually a representation of unity.” But this section won’t be shown on stage, so attendees can instead glimpse this section at the exhibition downstairs.

Sections like ‘Andalucia With Love’ expands the band’s wider theme of coming together. Kathy said, “It talks about the love relationship between a guy from Spain and a woman from North America. It represents the passion and the love of Spain and the conflict that is found within love…in the end there is conflict and when you actually listen to the story that is going to be told at the presentation, you realise out of conflict there can actually be found harmony.”

What about the Caribbean and TT some might wonder? Well, for the Norman twins the Caribbean is an ‘amalgamation of everything.’

Kathy said the region was not one particular race but history, ‘has blessed us with the beauty of being that perfect place.’ This was the reason K2K did not chose a specific costume to represent TT and the Caribbean. But whatever the region and whatever the space, it all leads back to one common story and that story is harmony.

Tickets for this the band’s launch have sold out with only a few general tickets left. For more information contact check the band’s Facebook page. Cocktails start at 8pm and the show begins at 9pm.