Bert Rose, An Artistic Genius Gone Too Soon.
April 12, 2021 | Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie |
It is with a deep sense of sadness that we announce the passing of a renounced person of artistic fame. Bert Rose was an institution as it relates to dance and other creative works. He has left indelible fingerprints and indeed footprints on our cultural landscape. Certainly footsteps not easy to fill.
An Elegy I Do Propose
Elegy To our departed Bert Rose
Yes! You were the rarest of all rose
Blooming for decades in the garden of life
This my elegy, dare not attempt to suffice
Bertie, you were larger than life
Never known to harbour strife
You were a creative genius
Leaving a lasting legacy for all of us
You gave freely of your time
To collecting you did not confine
Performing often without a cent
Proving that you were indeed heaven-sent
As we mourn your loss
Let us not forget that you were never bogus
Your contribution was for real
You were indeed the real deal
As your footsteps fade in the sunset
Do accept my sincerest regret
You came, you saw, you conquered
Today you are being richly honoured
Ride on, ride on your majesty
Yours has been an inning of some mastery
Your works demonstrated your sagacity
Cementing your enormous artistic propensity
As you depart this stage
You did grace many a front page
With your grace and agility
Clearly demonstrating your noted artistic ability
This elegy I pen of you a human rose
Which with honour I do compose
May your memory live on in our society
Which will be your lasting legacy…
Amen!
By Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie, elegist.
Tributes
Marlon Simms, Artistic Director of the NDTC, reacted to Bert Rose’s death, he said inter alia:
“Bert Rose was strong and was a leader, a disciplinarian, an excellent. chorographer and dancer. Bert was a founding member of the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC). This was from 1962 when the company was formed. He never left the organisation until today.”
St. Jude’s Anglican Choir members
“W recall Bert Rose along with Glenn Case would transform our church for our hymn festivals. If that was not all they would be there to transform our lawn area and thereby turn it into a garden worth spending an evening in. He was an artistic expert. Very congenial and highly communicative. We will miss his talents. As a choir member Bertie will long be remembered for helping to get us perform at a higher level as we were highly motivated by the artistic ambiance he helped to create. Gone too soon. May his soul rest in peace and light perpetual shine on Bertie Rose.”
Contributors of the above tribute, asked not to be identified.
Emmy Award winning journalist
Cliff Hughes of Nationwide News Network (NNN) said inter alia:
“I am of the view that Bert is the go to guy you would go to should you have a decorative job to be done.”
So stated Cliff Hughes.
Commentary
It is a shock to me as I was not aware that he was sick in any way. It will take me some time to get closure. Bertie as he was affectionately referred to by many of us was most affable. He was well known in the artistic circles.
Culture Minister
We wanted to get a reaction to Bert’s passing from the Culture Minister Grange. Up to press time we were not able to hear from Honourable Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, Culture, Sports & Gender Minister.
Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is a veteran journalist, elegist and poet, who interacted with Bert Rose over the decades. He also has International exposure.
