Previously, my only exposure to the contest had been through the media and attendance at a few parish finals, especially in western Jamaica. Those finals left me very much less than impressed, to say the least.

But the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) put on a very good show at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Sunday.

It started on time (of course, the television coverage did dictate punctuality) and from the outset, it was a good production. The television coverage simply could not convey the full effect of the parish queen's introduction, the La Blacha dancers framing each colourfully and distinctly clad young woman as a spotlight picked them out in the audience.

Then there was the set, curved steps leading up to a landing on two sides, a door on the high level facilitating the dramatic entrance of the queens in their gowns.

Save for the wait for guest performer Tarrus Riley as the band was set up, the show did not drag at any point, hosts Jenni Jenni and Dervan Malcolm making for a balanced pair of effervescence and relative calm.

All in all, I was impressed and, as I was watching Riley perform and afterwards when Jenni Jenni spoke about Bounty Killer performing at the Festival Song finals, I thought that the JCDC was really getting 'up to the time'; which is how it should be, as that is how it started out with the 'up to the time' performers of the day (The Maytals, etc) heavily involved in the competition.

Reminiscent of carnival?

I cannot help but think that the reintroduction of the float parade is reminiscent of the Carnival road march, which has, at points, been a howling success and has never fallen below good. Add to that the 'popular vote' segment of the JCDC competitions (reminiscent of the Digicel Rising Stars and various Miss Jamaica competitions) as signs of the updating.

I am not saying, of course, that the JCDC is pinching elements from other shows to make their own and there is a lack of originality. It is simply a matter of adjusting to an era of high-impact visuals, the high usage of the cellular phone, and expectations that have been set by the proliferation of shows presenting the more outstanding performers of the day to the public on a regular basis.

Leaving the National Indoor Sports Centre at Dancefest and the Festival Queen finals, there were calls for persons who had been given survey cards to return them. I hope that the feedback is encouraging and the JCDC will not make this year's mega thrust a one-off effort, despite the enormous expense which I am sure is being incurred.