An international ballet showcase featuring leading performers can inspire more young Black Bermudians to see dance as a profession in which they belong, principal dancer Jonathan Batista has said.

The Brazilian-born dancer, a principal with Pacific Northwest Ballet, will perform in the second annual Dancing Under the Stars showcase at the Earl Cameron Theatre this week.

Mr Batista said seeing successful Black performers could transform a young person’s understanding of what was possible.

“It’s so important to have representation in the world of dance, and specifically ballet as well,” he said. “It informs people that it’s possible.

“There will always be a Black kid who will look at me or other Black dancers and think that it’s possible to be and possible to become.”

Mr Batista recalled watching Carlos Acosta, the first Black principal dancer at The Royal Ballet, rehearse when he was a student.

“That was the first time that I really believed that I could become a prince,” he said.

Mr Batista later performed the prince in Swan Lake, his first full-length ballet as a principal dancer.

He said Black dancers had historically faced resistance when pursuing princely and other classical roles, but figures such as Mr Acosta and Arthur Mitchell, founder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, had created opportunities for later generations.

“My teacher once taught me, if a door closes, you open the door — and if there’s no door, you build that door,” he said.

“With that, you open a new lane for a new generation of Black dancers to come.”

The showcase is organised by Sophia Cannonier, a former Dance Theatre of Harlem performer and mother of Bermudian dancers Ravi, Vidya and Inanna Cannonier-Watson.

Ms Cannonier said the event was designed to do more than bring internationally recognised performers to Bermuda.

In the run-up to the event, local students have received months of free technical training and will be connected with professional dancers who can continue mentoring them.

She urged parents to understand early the commitment required for a child to pursue ballet professionally, including the possibility of leaving Bermuda to attend a vocational school.

“We have oodles of potential,” she said. “Everyone can dance, but not everyone has the same opportunity.”

Ms Cannonier said families often made significant financial and personal sacrifices to support young dancers.

“We’re here to help the next generation not just dance, but actually be like Ravi Cannonier-Watson,” she said, referring to her son who is a member of The Royal Ballet and is taking part in the event.

Maia Rose Roberts, a British-Spanish junior Ballet Zürich dancer appearing in the showcase, said she was encouraged by the enthusiasm of Bermudian children during a workshop.

“All the kids really wanted to learn and were so eager,” she said. “When you see children still wanting to dance, it’s really heart-warming.”

Ms Roberts left home at 13 to advance her training in Europe. She encouraged young Bermudians who felt limited by the opportunities available locally not to be afraid of travelling overseas.

“Don’t be scared — just reach for the stars,” she said. “Don’t be scared to fly away and spread your wings, because I had to do that as well.”

For Ravi Cannonier-Watson, who became the first Bermudian to complete The Royal Ballet School’s full eight-year programme, the gala is an opportunity to demonstrate what the island’s young artists can achieve with training, support and belief.

“I don’t want to be the last Bermudian ever to go to The Royal Ballet. As my legacy, I’d like to at least help get someone else there in my lifetime.”

He added: “You give young people the platform, you give them the space to be themselves and you have faith in them — and they’ll go on and chase exactly what they want.”

Dancing Under the Stars opens with a gala fundraiser at the Earl Cameron Theatre on Friday at 7pm.

Performances continue on Saturday, with a 1pm matinee and a 7pm show.

• Tickets are available from Sophia Cannonier. E-mail SophiaCannonier@gmail.com or call WhatsApp on 799-6330. The Earl Cameron box office will also be open for ticket sales and collection from 11am to 2pm, Wednesday to Friday