Financial awards were given to eight talented dance students to help with their tuition fees in overseas schools.

The 2025 National Dance Foundation Bermuda Fund presentation was held at O’Hara House on Bermudiana Road yesterday morning.

Vidya Cannonier-Watson, an 18-year-old graduate of The Tring School for the Performing Arts who has been accepted into The English National Ballet, won the largest and most prestigious award — the Catherine Zeta-Jones Scholarship, valued at $15,000.

The award was presented in honour of Patricia Calnan, a founding member of the Bermuda Ballet Association.

Julia Kempe, a member of the scholarship committee, said Ms Cannonier-Watson would have opportunities to train with world-class choreographers and coaches.

She added: “Vidya has demonstrated talent and commitment in pursuing her training and career in ballet, contemporary, modern and commercial dance … this scholarship supports her journey towards a promising professional career on the international stage.”

Ms Cannonier-Watson told The Royal Gazette: “I am very grateful. My brother [Ravi] has won this grant for a few years running and I always hoped that one day I would as well.

“I like classical ballet but I also know that the industry is changing so much and most classical ballet dancers also have to do more mainstream, contemporary dance, so I am working on those two hand in hand.”

Ava Joy Moreno, 18, is studying at Marymount Manhattan College and has received several awards from the foundation in the past.

This year, she was awarded a bursary valued at $6,000, having “exemplified academic, dance and leadership excellence".

Ms Moreno, who is pursuing a bachelor of fine arts degree in dance with a minor in arts management, said: “Dance is something I really felt I was capable of putting my all in to.

“It’s great to have the support, over multiple years, from such a wonderful organisation, to see my peers doing so well and to see how much talent can be harnessed when supported by organisations like this one.”

Soleil Richardson, 18, a former intern for The Royal Gazette who scored a spot with the dance group of the storied National Basketball Association team the Boston Celtics in July, was awarded $7,500 as one of the major scholarship recipients.

Four scholarships and four bursaries were distributed in all.

The other recipients were: Aura Doran, Inanna Cannonier-Watson, Naysaa Tucker, T’Aja Williams and Honor Minors.

Jayne Burnet, another scholarship committee member, said successful applicants to the awards must demonstrate a certain level of expertise and wish to pursue a professional career in dance.

The awards are open to applicants aged 14 to 22.

Sam Willis, another committee member, added: “Many of our applicants will have gone through local dance schools and have decided to further their career. This is to help them get to that next step.

“We hope they are all going to come back and teach, or be involved with, Bermuda’s newest dancers.”

Jadiyah Bailey, a former award recipient who is now on the scholarship committee, said: “I was able to train overseas and get my education. I now teach dance at Dellwood Middle School so I am a prime example of going away, learning and coming back to give back to the local dance community.”

Since 2005, the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda has continued to award scholarships named in honour of the founding members of the Bermuda Ballet Association, while growing the fund to support more Bermudian dancers, teachers and choreographers in their pursuit of world-class training overseas.

In that time, more than $1 million has been awarded in scholarships, professional development grants and bursaries, thanks to donations from corporate and individuals donors.

Ms Kempe thanked Brian O’Hara, the scholarship’s chairman and fund adviser.

She went on to thank all donors and supporters: “Your generosity enables world-class training and helps build a vibrant arts community here in Bermuda.”