The Masterworks Museum is teaming up to help a local dance charity fundraise for its summer programmes.The arts charity at the Botanical Gardens is holding a silent auction to help Jaricco Dance, a charity started by professional dancer Eric Bean, provide intensive summer dance classes and a biannual dance production.“The silent auction was my attempt to think ‘outside of the box’ and find a fun yet unique way to fundraise for Jaricco Dance,” said Mr Bean who currently tours with the world famous Koresh Dance Company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.“We’ve managed to get some great items donated from many of the well established businesses in the community; such as Spicelands Equestrian Centre, Bermuda Segway Tours and even the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel.”Mr Bean has taught at dance studios in Bermuda and overseas, and has participated in several national and international summer intensives including DanceBermuda, the only summer intensive American Ballet Theatre offers outside the United States.In the summer of 2009, Mr Bean joined forces with international Latin dance competitor and educator Roberto Rodriguez-Garcia to create Styles of 2 Dance Intensive, an intensive focused on educating and strengthening students’ skills and knowledge in the areas of Jazz Dance and Latin Social and Competitive Dance.The annual intensive is currently only offered in Bermuda, but Mr Bean and Mr Rodriguez-Garcia’s hope to expand the programme to islands throughout the Caribbean.The money raised from the silent auction will go towards their ‘Styles 2’ pre-professional dance programme, the ‘Sizzlin’ Salsa’ beginning/intermediate adult programme, both to be held in Bermuda this summer, and also Jaricco Dance’s new production Through the Looking Glass scheduled for August.“Guests who attend the event will not only be supporting a great cause that gives opportunity to local dance artists to learn, work and perform, but will also get a chance to view some amazing ‘home-grown’ art; including a sneak peak of what we are working on for the new production,” said Mr Bean.Through the Looking Glass will be an evening of dance premiering two new works, which Mr Bean created, that will feature local Bermudian talent. It is scheduled to run August 16 to 18 at The Earl Cameron Theatre at City Hall.“I don’t want to give too much away just yet, but the topic I have decided to focus on for this year’s production is the power of the individual verses that of the community and vice versa,” said Mr Bean. “My summer 2011 production Return to Paradise created a lot of dialogue and made me feel that this would be a really interesting topic to explore and I am very excited with what has come from the choice of subject matter thus far.”The silent auction fundraising event has no entry fee and requires business casual attire. Guests will receive a complimentary $5 dollar ‘bid’ upon entry into the even as a token of appreciation for supporting Jaricco Dance and complimentary wine and refreshments will be available. For more information about Jaricco Dance see www.JariccoDance.com.