PLANS are underway to assemble Jamaica’s contingent to the World Championship of the Performing Arts (WOCOPA) set for July 22 to 31 in California in the United States.

According to Antonio Dennis, talent scout for the local franchise holder, auditions are currently being held to unearth singers, musicians, dancers, models and variety artistes which include jugglers, magicians, and contortionists.

“Right now, we are still auditioning. We have chosen about 11 persons so far. The pace has not been as quick, and I believe this is due to the pandemic. In addition persons coming to us at this time must already have a US visa. The windows for persons without visas has closed so, right now, you must have one so that if chosen you van prepare to just go forward with training, preparation and seeking your sponsorship to make the trip. Persons will also have to be fully vaccinated to make the trip, in keeping with US regulations,” Dennis told the Jamaica Observer.

“We are looking for persons with that X-factor. Participants must come with something extra. It is not okay to just be able to sing, or dance, or act; there will be thousands of persons vying for a spot at the championship so you must be able to stand out,” he continued.

Jamaica has been sending a contingent to this championship for a number of years and has reaped success.

The Strachan sisters, Ana and Samantha, were the first to mine gold at this competition when they participated in 2003. Singer Andrew Clarke, who now heads the Braata Folk Singers in New York, won gold in 2008, while opera singer Francois Medley was a gold medallist in 2015.

The late singer Tiffany Thompson and the Silver Birds steel pan orchestra have also been medallists at WOCOPA.

Dennis noted that interested persons can make contact through the WOCOPA Team Jamaica pages on Facebook and Instagram, where they are expected to complete the entry form and upload a one-minute-long video showcasing their talent after which they will be contacted by a representative from the local team. Aspirants must be age five and older.

“In previous years, we conducted auditions at various locations, but we have had to limit that this year due to the pandemic. We are using social media a lot to reach interested persons. We also reach out to groups and organisations to attract the ones we need. That is how we found Tiffany [Thompson]; she came to us through Quilt Performing Arts Company,” said Dennis.

The opening ceremony and some of the competitions for WOCOPA 2022 will be held at Disney Studios in Los Angeles.