Bermudian students will this year perform with international musicians, train with professional dancers and get a glimpse behind the theatre curtain through the Bermuda Festival.

Dozens of international performers are set to work with the island’s young people over the next two months through the festival’s outreach programme, which is intended to expose young people to the performing arts.

Nancy Smith, programming director for the Bermuda Festival, said the outreach programme is one of the most rewarding elements of the annual event, scoring rave reviews from teachers and students alike.

“I am a teacher, so I love watching their faces,” she said. “A few years ago we had the little ones conducting a group. Watching their faces when they went faster and they started to play faster, they just lit up when they saw what they were doing.

“That’s the rewarding thing. Seeing these children light up when they are exposed to the performing arts.”

Ms Smith said the outreach programme launched more than ten years ago, with former artistic director Karen Pollard striving to create greater opportunities to expose young people to the arts.

“Now, whenever we approach artists, if we think they can offer something to suit the programme, we ask,” Ms Smith said. “Sometimes they charge, sometimes they don’t, but if they can offer something they have got a better chance at getting into the festival.”

Several of the performing groups are stepping forward this year for outreach initiatives aimed at introducing young people to various elements of acting, music and performance.

From January 11 to March 1, the programme will be offering a range of opportunities for young people at costs ranging from free to $20.

Jason Eddy — the Bermudian star of Twelfth Night — is set to hold interactive workshops at CedarBridge and Bermuda High School next week, while the dance troupe Catapult are set to sneak peak at their unique performance at the Ruth Seaton James Auditorium.

Joey Alexander, a 13-year-old pianist and the youngest artist ever nominated for a Grammy Award, will talk with students and perform at Fairmont Southampton, as will country singer Jessica Lynn who will open up her sound check for students.

Other groups, such as Tenors Un Limited and Fandango, will be bringing Bermudian talent on to the stage with them to perform with them.

While the majority of the outreach programme is aimed at young people, adult fans of the theatre will also have an opportunity to learn more about the performing arts. Arlene Hutton, the writer of Last Train to Nibroc, is set to conduct a workshop about bringing a show to the stage.

Ms Smith said the reaction from past year’s outreach events has been incredible, offering many young people their first opportunity to see and interact with professional performing arts groups.

On average, she estimated that the Bermuda Festival has been able to reach about 1,000 students a year through the programme.

“One of our mandates is to promote the arts in whatever way we can, but also we have to maintain our audiences,” she said. “In order to attract the young people into the performing arts, we need to expose them to it early.

• For more information, view the Bermuda Festival website at www.bermudafestival.org.