Valeska's got talent

VALESKA Balmacoon is one of the bright stars emerging from the 2019 San Fernando Arts Festival (Sanfest). She is only eight and already her list of accomplishments is extensive.

Singer, dancer, instrumentalist, karateka, dramatist, model, most outstanding student, poet and Spoken Word performer with 2Cents Movement are among her many successes. However, Valeska has big dreams of making her mark as a performer on the international stage like her favourite singer, songwriter, producer – Nadia Batson.

“I do drama with Omaca – her mom Helen Batson – and performed a monologue of one of her pieces at Trincity Mall and will also be entering the story telling competition in November.

“I love her music. I love her voice, but I don’t really want to sing soca. I love gospel music but I want to be an international singer just like Nadia,” Valeska said in an interview after performing Love Changes Everything on the Sanfest stage at the Creative Arts Centre, San Fernando recently.

A consistent competitor, this year she qualified for the vocal and instrumental categories. She also did a modern dance with her friend Zara Lumsden to the strains of The Fight Song.

In the instrumental category, she played Amazing Grace on the piano competing against her older sister, Angelique who performed Shout to the Lord. Angelique earned a certificate of excellence, while Valeska received a certificate of merit.

Angelique’s performance coincided with her 11th birthday and her classmates who came to support her were encouraged by the master of ceremonies to sing happy birthday to her.

Valeska and Angelique are the daughters of Neil and Savitri Balmacoon. They are students of Tunapuna Presbyterian Primary School – Valeska is in standard two, and Angelique is in standard five and will write the Secondary Entrance Assessment examination next year. Angelique is also a Unicef child ambassador and is involved in writing the Child Right Protection Policy with the Office of the Prime Minister. The family lives in Tunapuna.

Savitri said Valeska always loved the performing and creative arts and has encouraged her to pursue her talents. She said Valeska, who got an excellent student award this year, has balanced her academics with her extracurricular activities since she was a pre-schooler when she was named valedictorian and best reader and athletic child at her graduation.

In 2017, she placed third in the Nalis Primary School Spelling B competition. Under the tutelage of her mentor Derron Sandy of the 2Cents Movement, she was declared primary school champion in 2018 with her poem on child abuse. A poem on autism also earned her second place in the Passion Project. She does voice training at Dr Charles Brunner Music School and passed her practical music exams with the associated board of the Royal School of Music. She is also preparing for her Grade 2 exams in piano practical and vocal exams as well as her green belt in karate.

In her spare time, Valeska said she loves visiting her grandfather in Barrackpore and running through his garden, picking fruits and planting vegetables with her cousins.