Julia Edwards - Honoree 2003

Her Life has been dance and dance has been her life. She is recognized as Trinidad and Tobago's First Lady of Limbo, dancer extraordinaire, Julia Edwards.

Affectionately called Julia, she first started dancing in 1947, when her eldest brother Irwin took her to rehearsals of the Boscoe Holder Dance Company. She was duly impressed and subsequently joined the troupe.

Julia describes the Limbo as Trinidad and Tobago's only true national dance, originally performed at wakes. the limbo was done for nine nights, where some mourners said prayers and others danced the limbo. On the first night, the bar would be at its lowest and would be gradually raised each successive night. This symbolized the elevation of the soul of the dearly departed from its lowest levels on earth to the highest in heaven. When the bar was at it's highest, it was declared victory night, signifying life's triumph over death. On that victory night, the bongo was danced.

As a purely artistic endeavour, this did not sustain rapt attention because the climax came at the beginning, not at the end. Julia turned the dance on its head by using sticks to prop up the bar and the beginning at the highest point, while alluringly working her way down. Of course the costuming had to be more attractive than the mournful black and white, and consequently Helen Humphrey was brought in to do costuming that was more vibrant, and which is today being associated with the dance all over the world. Holly Betaudier, who was the first person to encourage her to dance professionally, came into the troupe to bring his tremendous organizational skills, and they introduced the signature song "I want somebody to Limbo like me". Julia further experimented, first introducing the flaming limbo and later the human limbo.

These Julia took to every corner of the globe, from Dakar to London, Japan to India and from North and South America to Europe. Julia and her troupe not only gave command performances to appreciative audiences, but in its wake brought HONOR and glory to the country's Dance by stamping Trinidad and Tobago as the "Land of Limbo".

Locally Julia danced at the opening of every major facility in the country: Hilton Hotel (where she and her troupe danced for over forty years), Queens Hall, The Penthouse located atop the Salvatori Building.

At the same time this beautiful woman did not forget to give back, performing at every institution in this country for free - The 'Mad' House, The Leper Asylum, The Royal Jail, as well as schools. Everywhere there was a need, Julia met it.

As a choreographer, Julia was unmatched. When 'Fire down Below' starring Robert Mitchum and Rita Haywood was being filmed in Tobago, Julia was not only asked to dance, but she did choreography for Ms. Haywood. She was then invited to London and then to Radio City Music Hall, where the Director was moved to describe her work as 'fantastic'. She later appeared on the famous Ed Sullivan Show where she held a wide television audience spellbound. But, because of the devotion to her family and country, Julia returned home without the fortune her growing fame was certain to bring.

For all of this, Julia kept her charm, dignity and grace intact. She traveled extensively with Sparrow and Bill Trotman. Bill fondly recalls, wherever they went, the Birdie would pay deference always insisting that 'the Queen' not only be attended to first, but that she be given the best.

Unfortunately, along with the highs, Julia had he lows. The death of her daughter Sparkles by accident; the death of her husband, who was not only her constant companion, but saw to every detail of the troupe even playing the part of chemist in the flaming limbo.

The poverty of men involving themselves in folk dance; the proclivity to drink deep of foreign culture while perilously neglecting our own. All of these have conspired to bring a sense of sadness to Julia. But then one is quickly pulled back. The overwhelming sense of joy that greeted the announcement that Julia Edwards was the St. James Community Improvement Committee's Honoree for 2003 was heart warming. The adoring fans, the close friends who were not only generous to a fault with their time in preparation for both this article and the event, but who celebrated as though the HONOR was bestowed on them, all of whom insisted that Julia's contribution to the development of Trinidad and Tobago be made known to the wider public. These all suggest that Julia may be one of the richest persons in the country.

These days Julia is more philosophical about life. She believes more should be done for local culture. She laments that we do not have a national dance company or a Theatre for the Performing Arts. She was quoted thusly "A nation without its own culture is condemning itself to death. Our culture is condemning itself to death. Our culture is our soul, but so many of us prefer to import other people's cultures while damning ours to hell. You can tell the state of a country by looking at the women and the esteem in which the culture is held. Look around you.......... I don't have to reach out and spell for you to realize what state Trinidad is in."

The country may be experiencing difficulties but for now, we have Julia.