Page 34 EXPRESS Tuesday, February 20, 1996 ML-
Ping pong in a
By KWAME LAURENCE
A TWO-TIME national junior
table tennis champion and cur-
rently ranked seventh among the
men in Trinidad and Tobago.
That's Terry Corbin!
At just 19, this Solo Crusaders
player is certainly one of the country's
brightest green table prospects. But
there is so much more to the young
man. In fact, table tennis is the least
of his concerns...particularly at this
time of the year.
Corbin modestly describes himself
. as an upcoming young player with
Phase II Pan Groove. But others are
able to be more objective and think of
him as nothing less than a crackshot
tenor player.
In 1990, the multi-talented
teenager started learning the.art on a
friend's instrument. In 1993, he made'
his Panorama debut with Humming
Bird Pan Groove. The following year,
he went to Phase II with arranger
Ray Holman. And within two years,
he has worked his way to the stage
side.
The return of ace arranger and
idol Len "Boogsie" Sharpe to the
Woodbrook band means the world to
Corbin. In an effort to help Phase II to
another national title, he promised to
be at his entertaining best in the
frontline at Saturday's finals.
"Ill turn my pan upside down, put
it over my head, kneel down, roll on
the ground and do whatever else I feel
to on the day," he excitedly explained.
Going into the finals, he was confi-
dent that his band would dethrone
Amoco Renegades.
"We have the better music and are
holding back something special, so
right now I'm looking forward to my
first Panorama victory. But win, lose
or draw, the crowd will love what they
hear and will be thoroughly enter-
tained. Until Saturday night, though,
we're just minding our business."
It is now history that Renegades
beat Phase II into second spot in the
finals.
But with that business now
behind him, Corbin can focus on
another pressing matter-—next
month's Silver Bowl Table Tennis
Tournament.
In 1987, while at Richmond Street
Boys, he was introduced to the sport
by big brother Anthony, a former
national player. At Mucurapo Junior
Secondary and then at Beimont Boys
Secondary, his game developed from
strength to strength until he became
the top Under-17 player in the coun-
try.
However, at Beimont he discov-
ered that he was very talented in yet
another field—dancing.
Corbin first took to the stage in
1991, at a concert at St Martin's Girls
High School, as a member of the hip-
hop group Twisted Ego. In 1993, he
was not only dancing but was choreo-
graphing as well. The group reached
the semi-finals of Party Time that
year. In 1994, he was the choreogra-
pher for Raw Power. Working on
dance ideas with the group's execu-
tive director Donovan Smart, he came
up with a routine that was again good
enough for a Party Time semi-final
spot.
Rasta Phil, a Trinidadian artiste
who lived in the United States for a
number of years, saw his work on
Party Time and was impressed. Phil
approached Corbin and Raw Power to
choreograph and dance for him.
However, it was a challenge since reg-
gae dance and not hip-hop, was what
was required. He successfully took it
up and as a result the group got valu-
able exposure on TTT's Dateline pro-
gramme and performed at venues
throughout T&T last year.
Unfortunately, the man behind the
fine work was not around to witness
the fruits of his labour. Or should I
say fortunately?
At the time, Corbin was on a six-
week tour to Japan with Trinidad and
Tobago Showboat, an African Dance
Company. He had joined the group a
mere two months before they left for
the Far East.
From Japan, Showboat moved
onto Florida, USA where they spent
two weeks performing at Disney '
World's Epcot Centre.
"The response in Japan and
Florida was tremendous. Even my
colleagues were surprised. African
dance was new to me, so to see me do
all those difficult things so easily
shocked them somewhat. There I was,
limboing low and that sort of thing.
But as a true entertainer, once you
put your mind to it, anything is possi-
ble."
Of course, talent helps as well.
And Corbin is certainly not short on
this crucial ingredient.
When it comes to pan, table ten-
nis, dancing and acting as well, he's
got the goods.
On his return from the two-month
Japan/Florida tour, he and Keisha
Stewart worked on producing a pan-
tomime routine for Raw Power. They
performed at the Upper Level Club
and the Queen's Park Savannah Flea
Market. Of course, choreographer
Corbin was also up on stage, playing
his part in the dramatised dance rou-
tine.
So, where does the youngster find
the time to do it all?
"I have to time-table my life and
stick to it! Every season has a reason.
Carnival is for pan. Afterwards, I'll
concentrate on dancing and acting. As
for the table tennis, whenever a tour-
nament is coining up I take a knock
and then go out there and give of my
best."
Corbin's talent does not quite earn
him a living. Some money, yes, but
not enough. So, he is in search of a
job. Though being employed would
allow him even less time to do all that
he does, he insists that he would
not have to drop any of his pur-
suits.
"It's just a matter of organis-
ing your time."
If he is to realise his many
ambitions and emulate his
ENTERTAINER EXTRAORDINAIRE
TERRY CORBIN (left) gives his all,
and then some, for Phase II Pan
Groove at Saturday's Panorama
to be a pro actor making his indelible
mark on the Hollywood scene.
Corbin is also hoping that some
day his name would mean as much to
the pan-loving world as ''Boogsie"...as
both player and arranger.
On the green table, he admires
reigning Olympic champion Jan-Ove
Waldner the most. However, gold at
Atlanta '96 or Sydney 2000 are not
among his ambitions.
"I just want to play, enjoy myself
and entertain the people."
And what an entertainer he is!
And he knows it.
"On the table, I have one thing to
do. I don't think I must win or I can't
handle losing. I simply say to myself
'Terry, you must flash'. I want to
finals at the Queen's Park
Savannah.
Photo: ROBERT CODALLO
gained'for aid they loved it. At just
15, he battled tooth and nail with
two-time Caribbean Men's Singles
champion Lionel Darceuil in a singles
tournament at the Rienzi Complex in
Couva, eventually losing the decisive
third game 21-19.
"I just went for all my shots,
shocking Darceuil and everyone else."
And then, playing for Crusaders at
the National Championships, in a
team match against Arima Hawks at
the Jean Pierre Sports Complex last
year, he was engaged in a thriller
with Wendell King. He went after
everything. The result, a crucial win
that helped his team to the semi-final
round...and a hip injury that came at
the end of an amazing rally during
"'l"«li /"*/•» *»Viir» maitV TOQJ-yeic: nff t. fl P '
^^.6 HKJ me unais, ne was confi-
dent that his band would dethrone
Amoco Renegades.
"We have the better music and are
holding back something special, so
right now I'm looking forward to my
first Panorama victory. But win, lose
or draw, the crowd will love what they
hear and will be thoroughly enter-
tained. Until Saturday night, though,
we're just minding our business."
0 j «mi ^itiii*_e iur Him.
However, it was a challenge since reg-
gae dance and not hip-hop was what
was T' "red. He successfully took it
up an /a result the group got valu-
able ex^/osure on TTTs Dateline pro-
gramme and performed at venues
throughout T&T last year.
Unfortunately, the man behind the
fine work was not around to witness
the fruits of his labour. Or should I
say fortunately?
b
stick to it! Every season has a reason.
Carnival is for pan. Afterwards, I'll
concentrate on dancing and acting. As
for the table tenni.< jenever a tour-
nament is coming / take a knock
and then go out there and give of my
best."
Corbin's talent does not quite earn
him a living. Some money, yes, but
not enough. So, he is in search of ajob. Though being employed would
allow him even less time to do all that
he does, he insists that he would
not have to drop any of his pur-
suits.
"It's just a matter of organis-
ing your time."
If he is to realise his many
ambitions and emulate his
many idols, he has his work cut
out. The big Michael Jackson
fan wants to be a professional
hip-hop dancer and choreogra-
pher. He wants to create dances,
originating from hip-hop, but yet
still original Terry Corbin cre-
ations...dances with the TC
stamp, dances that the world
will see on BET someday.
Like Bruce Willis, he wants
to be a pro actor making his indelible
mark on the Hollywood scene.
Corbin is also hoping that some
day his name would mean as much to
the pan-loving world as "Boogsie"...as
both player and arranger.
On the green table, he admires
reigning Olympic champion Jan-Ove
Waldner the most. However, gold at
Atlanta '96 or Sydney 2000 are not
among his ambitions.
"I just want to play, enjoy myself
and entertain the people."
And what an entertainer he is!
And he knows it.
"On the table, I have one thing to
do. I don't think I must win or I can't
handle losing. I simply say to myself
'Terry, you must flash'. I want to
make the sport more interesting for
spectators. I have a part to play in
bringing the crowds back to table ten-
nis. If I lose and the crowd is happy, I
am happy. They may say tough luck
Terry, better luck next time'. My
response would be 'don't worry about
me, I'm just pleased to entertain
you'."
Twice, Corbin gave table tennis
fans much more than they had bar- was tr;
gained'for aid they loved it. At just
15, he battled tooth and nail with
two-time Caribbean Men's Singles
champion Lionel Darceuil in a singles
tournament at the Rienzi Complex in
Couva, eventually losing the decisive
third game 21-19.
"I just went for all my shots,
shocking Darceuil and everyone else."
And then, playing for Crusaders at
the National Championships, in a
team match against Arima Hawks at
the Jean Pierre Sports Complex last
year, he was engaged in a thriller
with Wendell King. He went after
everything. The result, a crucial win
that helped his team to the semi-final
round—and a hip injury that came at
the end of an amazing rally during
which Corbin, many metres off the
table, lobbed for a long period before
throwing himself to crash the ball
back at King and win the point. But
his body crashed to the ground as
well, and he was not the same player
for the remainder of the
Championships.
"Had it not been for that hip
injury I would have won the singles. I
hard and was stinging,
ut at least I entertained
the crowd immensely
against King."
Do not think, though,
that he will always be just
an entertaining "also-
ran"; He says that he "will
be working very hard" at
becoming the national
champion in 1996.
But before that, he has
next month's Silver Bowl
to think about. His pick
for that tournament is
clubmate Anthony Brown,
the newly-crowned
National "Al" Champion.
"Tony's a great player
and now that he has the
added confidence of the
'Al' crown he's virtually
unbeatable."
However, he quickly
added that there was one
player who could stop
Brown's march to the
Silver Bowl title, and that
he was one of the parties
in this dialogue. Without
hesitation, I eliminated
myself and solved the rid-
dle.
I don't know about
you, but I'm not about to
doubt this extraordinarily
talented entertainer.