From new beginnings in 2005, the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda?s summer intensive, DanceBermuda, has gathered momentum and strength, with nearly 100 aspiring dancers from Bermuda, the United States, Canada and Italy currently participating in this year?s programme.

They are studying with seven instructors from the world-renowned American Ballet Theatre, including Brian Reeder as artistic director.

DanceBermuda is run by the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda (NDFB) in partnership with American Ballet Theatre.

Classes are held in the Bermuda High School?s dance studios, and the curriculum includes ballet, modern, jazz and Pilates. Participants are chosen by audition.

Building on last year?s success, the NDFB has added a Young Dancer?s programme this year which is tailored to dancers aged nine to 11 years, and includes dance and music history.

According to NDFB development officer Mary Faulkenberry, DanceBermuda is ?one of the best available anywhere?.

?The sports equivalent to DanceBermuda would be a three-week soccer clinic for talented youth with Pele, David Beckham and Diego Maradona, or a three-week tennis clinic with Roger Federer, Andre Agassi and Layton Hewitt,? she says. ?This is a very prestigious programme, the likes of which has never been available in Bermuda before.

?A unique feature of this programme is that we have 16 young men participating in DanceBermuda ? four Bermudian and 12 visiting ? which provides the young women in the programme with an opportunity to have partnering classes, a rarity in Bermuda.

?Also, the young men?s presence is a wonderful way for males in Bermuda to see the athleticism, power and strength of a male dancer, and to understand the hard work and discipline that is required to develop that level of expertise.?

The NDFB is not a dance school or dance company. It is a registered Bermuda charity and a company limited by guaranty. Its mission is to help raise the standards of dance excellence in Bermuda, and to contribute to the positive development of the Island?s young people.

?We work with the Island?s dance schools and companies to coordinate the world-class training we offer throughout the year so that it doesn?t conflict with their teaching or performance schedules,? Mrs. Faulkenberry says.

The public will have an opportunity to see what the student dancers have accomplished during the summer intensive when they present two, one-hour workshop performances at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts on Friday, August 25 at 11a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are available from boxoffice.bm.