Seven years ago Nikia Manders left Bermuda to pursue her goal of becoming a professional dancer. She entered the State University of New York at Buffalo, and spent the next four years working towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance.

She did well, and in the course of her studies shared classes with the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, attended the Black College Dance Exchange in Atlanta, and participated in summer programmes with the Philadanco and Dallas Black Dance Theatre companies.

Graduating in 2003, Miss Manders then returned home and began teaching modern and jazz dancing at the In Motion school of dance before successfully auditioning to join Celebrity Cruise Lines as a member of its cabaret programme ? a perfect way to meet people and see the world.

The pay wasn?t bad, and room and board were free. With the nightly shows being part of the post-dinner entertainment, Miss Manders? schedule left her with plenty of time during the day to sightsee in the countries she visited in the Mediterranean and Caribbean areas, as well as Canada.

As good as the roving life was, however, the ambitious Bermudian dancer took a long-term view of her goals and decided to move onward and upward.

With the money she managed to save while cruising, and the continued help of her parents and the Bermuda Arts Council, she travelled back and forth between Bermuda and New York for auditions and to take dance classes with the Rod Rogers Dance Company.

?Not being a US citizen, you are only allowed to live in the US for a certain amount of time without a visa, but part of the whole audition process is being in the city to network,? she says.

Come September Miss Manders will be able to do just that as she continues dancing with Rogers ? a small, multi-cultural Manhattan company whose modern dance choreography is based on African-American history ? while pursuing a Master?s degree in dance education at New York University.

?Rogers offered me classes and an opportunity to learn their repertory,? she says. ?I was chosen by audition. A lot of people have gone from this small, part-time company to bigger companies or Broadway.?

In addition to obtaining her Master?s degree in 2008, Miss Manders will also have her New York State teacher?s certification, which will enable her to teach in both New York?s and Bermuda?s public schools.

In fact, completion of her graduate studies will present many career options for this dedicated Bermudian, the specifics of which she is still mulling over, but one thing is clear: she plans to return to Bermuda eventually to contribute to the development and enhancement of the performing arts.

?I would like to teach in a performing arts school in the US so that when I come back home I will have that understanding and experience of working at a performing arts school,? she says. ?I might like to start my own dance school, but I am also interested in dance education.

?I definitely want to work in arts in education in the school systems, and outside the system, and in cultural affairs. Culture is what brings out the arts. If we had more arts, we would have more tourists who would enjoy the atmosphere. It takes Bermuda to another level by having entertainment, and also to be influenced by our culture.

?The New York University programme teaches you how to set standards in education, and I think that is definitely needed for the performing arts (in Bermuda).

?We have so many talented people here, and it is a shame that so much of our talent isn?t being used for the benefit of our country. If you are not educated in the arts you can?t take it to the sky and back. In education you can only take it so far, but it gives the students the desire to pursue some performing arts career.?

In fact, Miss Manders is already experienced in dealing with students, having choreographed a dance for Clearwater Middle School which they performed at last year?s Drumline Festival.

This year she choreographed the Berkeley Institute graduation cotillion ? something she describes as ?a lot of fun?, during which she transformed ?ducklings? into ?swans?, metaphorically speaking.

?To see the transition after almost two weeks of rehearsals was wonderful,? she smiles. ?Teenagers are harder to work with, but you get a greater result at the end. They did really well.?

Miss Manders also choreographed last year?s edition of ?Tony and Tina?s Wedding?.