Scholarships awarded to local dance students
Eighteen Bermuda dance students will be attending this year’s National Dance Foundation of Bermuda (NDFB) international summer intensive on merit scholarships, thanks to sponsors Butterfield Bank and Bacardi Limited.
In making the announcement, the NDFB said that the young male and female dancers had been chosen by faculty of the American Ballet Theatre, which partners with the local organisation to host the summer intensives.
Students receiving merit scholarships are: Dominique Anderson, Meredith Bibbings, Anna Clifford, Jasmine DeBraga, Katie Maypa, Rebecca McLauchlan, Sophia Maguire, Natalie Nielsen, Rachel Ray, Alexis Richens, Sierra-Renae Robinson, Chelsea Smith, Krystal Smith, Kaela Skater, Ashley Yearwood, Jelani Veney, and James Waddell.
A further 20 Bermuda dancers have received a total of $23,100 in financial assistance to support their attendance at the prestigious summer programme.
In all, $45,600 has been awarded to 37 of the 59 Bermuda dancers participating in DanceBermuda 2007. The local students will be joined by 36 visiting dancers from the United States, Canada and Italy.
A total of 95 students will be participating in the intensive programme which includes classes in ballet, modern, Broadway jazz and Pilates, as well as music and dance history.
“We are indebted to Butterfield Bank and to Bacardi Limited for their support of the National Dance Foundation’s scholarship programme,” NDFB development officer Mary Faulkenberry said. “Their support means that students are assured of participation regardless of financial means, and we are delighted that these talented young dancers will be a part of this year’s programme.”
DanceBermuda 2007 will run from August 6 to 24 in the dance facilities at Bermuda High School with two, one-hour workshop productions scheduled for City Hall Theatre on the final day of the summer intensive.
The NDFB, a registered charity and a company limited by guaranty, helps to raise the standard of dance excellence in Bermuda by providing world-class training to the Island’s dancers, teachers and choreographers.
