The National Dance Foundation (NDF) is to introduce a scholarship for dance teachers interested in furthering their skills overseas.

Organisation chairman Don Kramer yesterday told Hamilton Rotarians that seed money for the project had been made available by reinsurance firm PartnerRe.

According to Mr. Kramer, the idea is to "raise the standard of dance excellence in Bermuda by providing world-class training to Bermuda's talented dancers, teachers and choreographers".

Mr. Kramer, who is also CEO and chairman of Ariel Holdings Ltd. said: "In order to stay current with the latest teaching and training methods, they [dance teachers] have to travel overseas. That's an expensive undertaking that is usually out of reach for most teachers."

Called the Professional Development Fund, the programme is open to teachers across the Island.

"There is no age limit for those who apply and no specific time frame for application," said Mr. Kramer. "We will accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the year."

He added: "The better the standard of teaching in Bermuda, the better the training that our young people receive."

He continued: "It's not easy being a dance teacher in Bermuda. It's not always a full-time job with a full-time salary. The Island's teachers do what they do because they love it."

The charity has given nearly $400,000 in scholarships to dancers studying here and abroad. Some of the recipients include Jacquie Mayor, Courtney Lopes, Sierra-Renae Robinson and most recently James Wadell who received this year's Madame Ana Roje Commemorative Award.

The NDF also organises dance workshops throughout the year and also DanceBermuda, a summer intensive programme which partners with the renowned American Ballet Theater (ABT).