United Dance Productions is bringing four accomplished performing artists to Bermuda this summer for a two-week intensive open to local dancers. Registration is now open for the July 6 to July 17 programme, which will be led by Ryan K. Johnson, the executive artistic director of the US-based company Sole Defined.

Aimed at exposing young people to new forms of movement, rhythm and storytelling, the Bermuda Summer Intensive will culminate in a public performance featuring both professional artists and student-created work.

For UDP founder Suzette Harvey, the residency began with a chance meeting at the International Association of Blacks in Dance conference this year.

“Everyone was making a big deal about him as he entered the lounge area of the hotel hangout. I asked a friend who was the guy trying to disguise himself in the hoodie,” she said.

The friend introduced her to Mr Johnson, which led to a conversation about bringing Sole Defined's unique approach to the island.

“I explained to him that Bermuda was losing its youth [dancers], especially boys, and I thought his programme of teaching stepping, body percussion, tap and storytelling would be a great way to introduce students to a completely new experience,” Ms Harvey said.

The pair met again the following day to discuss the idea further and plans for the residency quickly began to take shape.

Ms Harvey said she was immediately struck by Mr Johnson's reputation and the demand for his work.

His career has included performances with the late Gregory Hines and appearances with Stomp, Step Afrika! and Cirque du Soleil.

In 2024, he became the first African-American body percussionist to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship for choreography.

Since it was formed in 2011, Sole Defined has earned an international reputation in professional dance and theatre circles for its distinctive blend of tap, body percussion, stepping and storytelling.

It is known for transforming rhythm into a theatrical experience, using the body itself as an instrument to create sound, movement and narrative.

The company has performed in more than 20 countries and at such prestigious venues as the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts and Jacob's Pillow, one of the world's leading dance institutions.

For Ms Harvey, however, the attraction was less about Mr Johnson's accolades and more about what Sole Defined could offer Bermuda's young people.

“I didn't need to know everything about him. I knew he was the one as he was fully booked and I was hearing the buzz that everyone was trying to get him to come to their studio, university, etc to do a workshop or performance,” she said.

The programme will give students the opportunity to learn directly from artists whose careers span professional dance companies, Broadway productions, international tours and arts education initiatives.

Joining Mr Johnson in Bermuda will be Sole Defined cofounder Quynn Johnson, a Harvard University and Howard University graduate whose work in rhythm-based storytelling and arts education has reached more than 150,000 students globally. Broadway performer Jodeci Milhouse, whose credits include A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, Dreamgirls and The Tap Dance Kid, and Claude Alexander, a former Dallas Black Dance Theatre principal artist and experienced choreographer and educator, will also come.

Participants will take part in daily classes and workshops while working collaboratively to create an original performance piece that will be presented during the final showcase.

As the residency will introduce students to forms of artistic expression that differ from traditional dance training, Ms Harvey believes it may appeal to young people who have not previously considered themselves performers.

For Bermuda students, access to artists of Sole Defined's calibre would typically require travelling overseas for specialised training programmes and workshops — and the cost would be much higher.

Providing such opportunities on island has long been part of UDP's mission, Ms Harvey said. The residency represents another step in creating opportunities for Bermuda's young artists to engage with leading professionals from beyond the island's shores.

“Ryan Johnson and Sole Defined are very big deals and I would hope that all students interested in the arts will take advantage of a great opportunity that they cannot otherwise get,” she said.

• Registration is open for the Bermuda Summer Intensive, which will run from July 6 to 17 and is open to students aged 10 and older. Admission is $1,000. To register: summersoledefinedbermuda@gmail.com, 705-1983. For more information, visit www.uniteddanceproductions.com;www.soledefined.com