The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda's (NDFB) third annual international summer intensive, DanceBermuda, is now underway in the dance facilities of the Bermuda High School for Girls.

As always, the prestigious three-week programme was launched with a special orientation evening at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, where the 95 students from Bermuda and North America, many of whom are returning to the Island for the third time, were welcomed by Foundation board member Cole Simons.

"You are going to work very hard, make friends that will last a lifetime, and be challenged to be your best," he told them. "I know this will be an experience you will never forget."

Mr. Simons noted that DanceBermuda is run in partnership with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), and said that in addition to the eight ABT faculty members, Bermudians Sophia Cannonier and Nikia Manders will be teaching in the programme.

Ms Cannonier, who directs the Bermuda Integrated Health Cooperative, is teaching Pilates for a third summer. Ms Manders, who is currently studying for her Master's degree in dance education at New York University in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, is teaching African dance.

ABT faculty members include Brian Reeder, artistic director of DanceBermuda 2007, and ballet instructors Kristine Elliott, Kenneth Easter and Ethan Brown. Stacy Mahan and Richard Toda are directing the Young Dancers programme. João Maurício Carvalho, from the Paul Taylor School, is teaching modern dance, while Amy Hall, a Juilliard graduate and professional Broadway, TV and film performer, is teaching Broadway jazz.

The NDFB has also launched a pilot programme this year entitled 'Bermuda's Emerging Dance Artists' (BEDA) as a new component of DanceBermuda. Three Bermudians are participating BEDA and following a programme designed for their specific educational focus.

Karissa Roberts is working with the Young Dancers Programme and the modern dance programme; Dominique Anderson is focusing on choreography and general teaching methods, and Nikia Manders is shadowing the Broadway jazz and modern dance instructors.

BEDA is designed to offer Bermudians studying dance and dance education an opportunity to intern with world-class organisations who participate in DanceBermuda.

DanceBermuda will continue through August 24, and conclude with two one-hour workshop productions on that date at the City Hall Theatre (at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.). For further information about these, please call the Foundation at 236-3319.

* The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda is a registered charity and a company limited by guaranty whose mission is to raise the standard of dance excellence in Bermuda by providing world-class training to the Island's talented dancers, teachers and choreographers. More information about the Foundation and its programmes can be found at www.dancebermuda.org.