Lighting up La Reine Rive

KIERAN ANDREW KHAN

Chanda Marie La Touche literally lit up the stage at this year’s Miss La Reine Rive Queen segment of the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition with a dress designed by Kyle Matas that sealed her place as first runner-up. The dress, primarily made of plastic and adorned with butterflies, flowers and dragonflies also featured LED lights that changed colour too.

Introduced to the stage by way of music at a young age, La Touche first learned to play the piano before moving on to steelpan and a little guitar. She said her appreciation for the performing arts was mainly influenced by Dr Pat, who she affectionately calls ‘Aunty Patty’ of Holistic Music School, whom she met at the age of two.

She subsequently embraced singing, dancing, acting and modelling alongside her entries into various pageants across the country. Needless to say, she loves the stage. “As I’m currently employed at TTEC, in 2014 I entered their Emancipation Queen show representing the head office where I placed second, and later on in October of that same year entered the PNM Divali pageant, which I won. I also competed in Miss UWI-verse in 2016 prior to entering Miss La Reine Rive this year,” she recalled.

“Through Dr Pat, I really developed a love for music and all expressions of the arts. I do like to be on the stage and to represent something I believe in,” she added. “When I attended St Francois Girls’ College, I participated in the choir and even competed in Panorama with the school too.”

Eventually, music took a bit of a backseat due to several changes in her life. Her father passed away in a car accident in March 2016, prompting her to also start working and pursue her tertiary education.

“I recently completed the first year of my Masters in Global Studies with the Institute of International Relations (IIR) at the University of the West Indies (UWI), and prior to that completed my degree in the same field too,” she pointed out.

“I decided to enter La Reine Rive primarily because it was all taking place during my break from UWI, so it fit in nicely. Ms Gail from North West Laventille Cultural Movement called to ask my interest in competing and I accepted and went on to represent the group under the county of St George West.

“The group is amazing and very talented. North West engages in many aspects of the arts but is particularly known for their dance; when you hear North West, you immediately think dance!” she said.

“I participated with them in the folk theatre and choir aspects of the Best Village competition and it was an illuminating experience. The hours were long, I would often not get home till midnight after rehearsals and preparation for the pageant, but the energy and commitment of the group kept me going. When they’re rehearsing, they’re rehearsing! It was definitely an eye opening experience to work alongside so many talented people and it was also a humbling experience too,” she added.

“I really owe a debt of gratitude to my North West Laventille Cultural Movement family and in particular Rayshawn Pierre (Miss La Reine Rive 2017), who guided me through my preparations. I would have been lost without her, she is a true talent and I was blessed to work with her. Also to Jarell Alder, Gail Edinborough and Bernard Shepherd, my sincerest thank you! To my mom Gail La Touche, family and friends, the support and good energy meant everything to me.”

The pageant night itself, La Reine Rive, was one of strong competition but also of camaraderie. “The roster of girls competing, the calibre was very high. So yes, I would like to think the judges had a tough time deciding,” she added with a laugh.

The dress, designed and made by Kyle Matas with the help of Michelle Pilgrim really set a different tone in terms of design and what a La Reine Rive gown could be. The irony of the dress was that it was adorned in something La Touche has a phobia of – butterflies.

“I just put my mind past them; they were so lifelike on the dress! And while it may sound silly to be afraid of them, I really am! However, I am forever grateful to both Kyle and Michelle both for their time, commitment and dedication in getting that dress and other aspects of my presentation done the way they did,” she pointed out. “I have nothing but gratitude to give them. I also have nothing but love and support for everyone who competed. Anjali (the eventual winner) and Aneka (second runner-up) are both very passionate about the arts and culture. So I’m happy with my placement and hoping to use my time now to focus on my studies and also to look to the future.”

She’s also very practical about that future. “Things happen for a reason. While I’m happy in my current role at work, I know that there are always bigger doors of opportunity opening ahead. I always envisioned myself as a diplomat, perhaps even being the High Commissioner to the UK,” she said.

“But while I have a plan, I am also aware that God sometimes may laugh at those plans, knowing he has bigger things in store for us.”

Introduced to the stage by way of music at a young age, La Touche first learned to play the piano before moving on to steelpan and a little guitar. She said her appreciation for the performing arts was mainly influenced by Dr Pat, who she affectionately calls ‘Aunty Patty’ of Holistic Music School, whom she met at the age of two.

She subsequently embraced singing, dancing, acting and modelling alongside her entries into various pageants across the country. Needless to say, she loves the stage. “As I’m currently employed at TTEC, in 2014 I entered their Emancipation Queen show representing the head office where I placed second, and later on in October of that same year entered the PNM Divali pageant, which I won. I also competed in Miss UWI-verse in 2016 prior to entering Miss La Reine Rive this year,” she recalled.

“Through Dr Pat, I really developed a love for music and all expressions of the arts. I do like to be on the stage and to represent something I believe in,” she added. “When I attended St Francois Girls’ College, I participated in the choir and even competed in Panorama with the school too.”

Eventually, music took a bit of a backseat due to several changes in her life. Her father passed away in a car accident in March 2016, prompting her to also start working and pursue her tertiary education.

“I recently completed the first year of my Masters in Global Studies with the Institute of International Relations (IIR) at the University of the West Indies (UWI), and prior to that completed my degree in the same field too,” she pointed out.

“I decided to enter La Reine Rive primarily because it was all taking place during my break from UWI, so it fit in nicely. Ms Gail from North West Laventille Cultural Movement called to ask my interest in competing and I accepted and went on to represent the group under the county of St George West.

“The group is amazing and very talented. North West engages in many aspects of the arts but is particularly known for their dance; when you hear North West, you immediately think dance!”

she said.

“I participated with them in the folk theatre and choir aspects of the Best Village competition and it was an illuminating experience. The hours were long, I would often not get home till midnight after rehearsals and preparation for the pageant, but the energy and commitment of the group kept me going. When they’re rehearsing, they’re rehearsing! It was definitely an eye opening experience to work alongside so many talented people and it was also a humbling experience too,” she added.

“I really owe a debt of gratitude to my North West Laventille Cultural Movement family and in particular Rayshawn Pierre (Miss La Reine Rive 2017), who guided me through my preparations. I would have been lost without her, she is a true talent and I was blessed to work with her. Also to Jarell Alder, Gail Edinborough and Bernard Shepherd, my sincerest thank you! To my mom Gail La Touche, family and friends, the support and good energy meant everything to me.”

The pageant night itself, La Reine Rive, was one of strong competition but also of camaraderie. “The roster of girls competing, the calibre was very high. So yes, I would like to think the judges had a tough time deciding,” she added with a laugh.

The dress, designed and made by Kyle Matas with the help of Michelle Pilgrim really set a different tone in terms of design and what a La Reine Rive gown could be. The irony of the dress was that it was adorned in something La Touche has a phobia of – butterflies.

“I just put my mind past them; they were so lifelike on the dress! And while it may sound silly to be afraid of them, I really am! However, I am forever grateful to both Kyle and Michelle both for their time, commitment and dedication in getting that dress and other aspects of my presentation done the way they did,” she pointed out. “I have nothing but gratitude to give them. I also have nothing but love and support for everyone who competed. Anjali (the eventual winner) and Aneka (second runner-up) are both very passionate about the arts and culture. So I’m happy with my placement and hoping to use my time now to focus on my studies and also to look to the future.”

She’s also very practical about that future. “Things happen for a reason. While I’m happy in my current role at work, I know that there are always bigger doors of opportunity opening ahead. I always envisioned myself as a diplomat, perhaps even being the High Commissioner to the UK,” she said.

“But while I have a plan, I am also aware that God sometimes may laugh at those plans, knowing he has bigger things in store for us.”