Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

65 JOYCE KIRTON (1932-2020) J oyce Kirton is known for her important role in the development of local folk dance education especially in southern Trinidad. As founder and leader of the Les Enfants dance group, Kirton has been responsible not only for instructing proper dance technique to generations of aspiring dancers, but has passed on to her students the history and philosophy behind such African-inspired dances as the bele and the saraca. Her dance company celebrates its 50 th anniversary in 2012. The film Julia and Joyce, by Sonja Dumas, is about two pioneers in local dance, Joyce Kirton and Julia Edwards, founder of the Julia Edwards Dance Group. She received the Humming Bird Medal Gold in 1993. FREDDIE KISSOON (1933-2016) H e founded The Strolling Players Theatre Company back in 1957 and has been active throughout the years as an actor, director, drama teacher and playwright. He received the Humming Bird Silver Medal in 1987.