27 Facts About Beryl McBurnie

Beryl Eugenia McBurnie OBE was a Trinidadian dancer, who performed as La Belle Rosette.

Beryl McBurnie established the Little Carib Theatre in Woodbrook, Port of Spain, and promoted the culture and arts of Trinidad and Tobago as her life's work.

Beryl McBurnie helped to promote the cultural legitimacy of Trinidad and Tobago that would shift the country into the age of independence.

Beryl McBurnie was born in Woodbrook, Port of Spain, and was educated at Tranquillity Girls' Intermediate School.

On leaving Tranquility Girls School, Beryl McBurnie became a teacher and used this opportunity to engage in the extracurricular activities surrounding the preparation for school concerts, play productions and operettas.

Beryl McBurnie danced at every opportunity that came her way, at the same time becoming quite accomplished at piano and in the use of voice.

Beryl McBurnie trained at Mausica Teachers' College and started her career teaching in Port-of-Spain.

Beryl McBurnie instead decided to pursue her dream career in folk-dance after touring the country with Trinidad's leading folklorist, Andrew Carr.

Many melodies and folk dances that would have been lost to Trinidad and Tobago were rescued by Beryl McBurnie and promoted in her dancing.

Beryl McBurnie worked with American modern dancer and choreographer Charles Weidman, African-American choreographer Katharine Dunham, and studied eurhythmics with Elisa Findlay - a student of Emile Jacques Dalcroze.

Beryl McBurnie was the first person to promote primitive and Caribbean dance.

In 1938, when Katherine Dunham arrived in New York from Chicago, Beryl McBurnie taught her privately the rhythms and dances of the West Indies.

Beryl McBurnie presented A Trip Through the Tropics at the Empire Theatre, Port of Spain.

Beryl McBurnie combined Caribbean and Brazilian dances with interpretations of New York and modern dances, performed to the music of Wagner, Beethoven and Bach, to a packed audience.

Beryl McBurnie returned to New York in 1941 and stayed there until 1945.

Beryl McBurnie danced and sang with Sam Manning and his ensemble, in the production of the only known calypso "soundies" film clips made for film jukeboxes located in restaurants and bars.

Beryl McBurnie became a popular teacher at the New Dance Group, where in 1942 Pearl Primus was a student.

Primus, like Katherine Dunham, studied West Indian dance from Beryl McBurnie and joined the group, which appeared at various venues in New York.

In 1941, Beryl McBurnie assumed a pseudonym name "La Belle Rosette" and performed professionally under that stage name.

Beryl McBurnie was booked to perform at "coffee concerts" at the Museum of Modern Art by philanthropist Louise Crane, then a young theatrical agent.

In June 1942 Beryl McBurnie replaced Carmen Miranda in the hit Broadway musical revue Sons o' Fun at the Winter Garden Theatre.

Beryl McBurnie left the United States in 1945 at the height of her popularity in New York to become a dance instructor with the Trinidad and Tobago government's Education Department in 1945.

Beryl McBurnie's first show was Bele pre-carnival 1948 at her newly opened Little Carib Theatre in Woodbrook.

Beryl McBurnie is considered to be one of the foremothers of Parang music.

However the permanent dance troupe had disbanded and Beryl McBurnie instead focused her energies on teaching children.

In 1950, Beryl McBurnie was appointed the director of dance in the Education Department.

In 1989, Beryl McBurnie received the Trinity Cross, the highest national award in Trinidad and Tobago then, for Promotion of the Arts.