On November 2, 1995 the island of Trinidad & Tobago birthed an artistic leader, an expressionist and a fearless creative. You would presume that a high-minded, strict person is being described here – but leadership and fearless creativity no longer bear the tone of gravity and seriousness it once did. One can be light-hearted and fun-loving, but still be fervently passionate about their creative endeavors and the existence of Marieange Bovell is proof of that.
Bovell is a dancer and designer of Monday wear for Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago under the company Lumiere Design Ltd, which is represented on Instagram as @marieange.terileigh. Her work as a designer is a collaborative effort with her older sister, Teri-Leigh, hence the name; and it must be said that Bovell women execute design concepts with a level of precision and exactitude that is noticeably brilliant. As seems to be the standard for ‘Bovell Women’, Marieange takes pride in being able to liberally express her creativity – whether it is through the use of dance or design.
Dance for Marieange Bovell is beyond just an art form, but more of a means of escapism. Marieange has been an active member of the Xtreme Dance Academy in Trinidad & Tobago and she credits the art form as a tool that helped her embrace her sensuality and confidence as a woman. For years, the eurocentric values imposed on Caribbean women inhibited the fluidity by which they could find and express sensuality as a core essence of their femininity. That dynamic is slowly dissipating and a new generation of Caribbean women that have a holistic sense of awareness about their power and place in society are emerging. Marieange Bovell, without a doubt, is one of the leaders of this new generation of women and her love for dance, design and her beloved Trinidadian culture made her a top priority on our list of creative entrepreneurs that we had to catch up with.
CARIB VOXX: Let’s start by talking a little bit about family. Tell us some of the values that, growing up as a ‘Bovell Woman’, were constantly impressed upon you.
Marieange: “I honestly can’t say there was much impressed upon me. What I can say however, is that there was always a competitive and ambitious spirit that lived in our household. From my mom to my siblings, it was almost second nature for them to be the best that they can, in anything they did. Perseverance, determination and resilience to name a few, are all values that were learnt by me simply being in their presence.”
CARIB VOXX: Did you ever feel pressure to be successful, or feel that there were heightened expectations placed on you because of your older sister Teri-Leigh’s success?
Marieange: “I did feel pressured to some extent, but not because of Teri’s success in particular. Growing up, I felt like I wanted to be a pediatrician due to my love for children. My mother held me accountable to this dream and sometimes I felt like I had to reach there in order to be deemed successful in her eyes. Even while having doubts about this decision, I pushed through and got as far as med-school in Barbados. Only there and then, I did some thorough soul searching and decided to follow my heart rather than trying to live up to the expectations of others. Though it took a while to understand that I was in total control of my destiny, I left Barbados with a sense of pride and purpose. I left genuinely happy and contented knowing that wherever this new journey was about to take me, it would be based solely on my decisions and whatever I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Major lesson there: it’s never too late to start over.”
CARIB VOXX: At what age did you officially start dancing, and what genres of dance are you proficient in?
Marieange: “My love for dance started approximately at the age of 8 years old. Over the years, I was able to develop a command of genres such as ballet, modern, tap, hip-hop and dancehall which then allowed me the privilege to dance for some of our popular soca artists…so should I call that proficient in wining? (Haha!). Nevertheless, I’m always open to trying different genres of dance.”
CARIB VOXX: How has dance fostered your overall development as a woman and helped you to embrace your sensuality?
Marieange: “Dance was one of the many activities I was involved in growing up, and I always say it helps with your discipline, confidence and adaptability. Like many other extra-curricular activities, dance taught me how to deal with tough situations and overcome any obstacle in my way. Dance groomed me – not just as an individual but as a woman, which helped me to respect myself more than ever. I was able to accept and understand my body, emotions, movements and expressions together as one.”
CARIB VOXX: At what age did you start designing?
Marieange: “Designing is actually so new for me; sometimes it’s difficult to even call myself a designer. However, I started as recently as last year at the age of 24, when my sister and I designed our first Monday wear and costume for Carnival 2020. This was always something we wanted to venture into, mainly because of our knack for creating different styles and fashion.”
CARIB VOXX: Why did you choose to focus on Monday wear as your main outlet of design?
Marieange: “Being heavily involved in Carnival and having a section with Yuma last year, it felt like it only made sense to complete the package and provide Monday wear. We also wanted to give the world a proper look of what we’re capable of, and felt like adding Monday Wear would be the perfect avenue to achieve that. It was definitely a journey but you feel a sense of accomplishment in the end, seeing your product in the streets of Port of Spain as part of “The Greatest Festival on Earth”.
