A peek into the history of Saint Lucian art forms of years gone by will reveal that stilt dancing was part of the traditional masquerade through the village streets at Christmastime.

The art form disappeared for a few decades but re-emerged in 1995, when Ms. Wendy Mitchell, a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Laborie, established a group of young people interested in reviving stilt dancing. Originally named Ti Zeans (Little Giants) - the group constructed their own stilts from wood and began to learn the rudimentary skills of walking and dancing to both traditional and modern music.

The group was drafted into the membership of ECHOLab (Environmental and Cultural Heritage Organization of Laborie) in 1997 when Ms. Mitchell returned to the United States at the end of her 2-year volunteer stint on island. They were then under the guidance of Teacher Udra Chicot and Mr. Shern Darcheville. In 2005, ECHOLab was the recipient of a grant from Digicel as a part of the company’s “Caring Connections Programme”. The grant provided for the purchase of new metal stilts.

Today, the Laborie Stilt Dancers are still an associate member of ECHOLab under the dedicated leadership and guidance of Teacher Udra, the group has flourished into an enthusiastic 11-member strong contingent ranging in age from 16 to 21. Some members have been with the group for over 5 years. They meet several times a week to practice their moves and create dances to their favorite music, usually drum rhythms or some hot, spicy soca or zouk. The Laborie Stilt Dancers perform both locally and nationally at special events and are sometimes hired to entertain at the nation’s airports and hotels.