NATIONAL DANCE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF 2011 CATHERINE ZETA-JONES AWARDS

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HAMILTON, Bermuda, August 20, 2010 – The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda today announced the recipients of the Catherine Zeta-Jones awards for study at the 2011 DanceBermuda international summer intensive.

The awards were presented following a one-hour workshop production at the City Hall Theatre.  67 students from Bermuda, the United States and the United Kingdom performed in a programme of ballet, contemporary, Broadway jazz and jazz funk that was dedicated to the memory of dance legend Denise Jefferson who passed away earlier this summer. Ms Jefferson, Director of The Ailey School in New York, had been an instructor in the Foundation’s PartnerRe Master Class series and a long-time friend of many in Bermuda.

As Miss Zeta-Jones was not able to attend the workshop production, her awards were presented by Mr. Clement Talbot, representing the Ross “Blackie” Talbot Charity Classic, the sponsor of the Young Dancer’s Programme at this year’s DanceBermuda.

“I am pleased the Ross “Blackie” Talbot Charity Classic is associated with DanceBermuda through its funding of the Young Dancer’s Programme at DanceBermuda,” said Mr. Talbot. “My colleague, Wayne Jackson, and I had the chance to sit in on a class taught by master teachers Richard Toda and Ian Spencer Bell and it was clear that our young dancers are receiving some of the best dance instruction available today. I know all of the students have had an experience they won’t forget.

“Our young people are indeed fortunate to have this level of master instruction available here in Bermuda, and we are grateful to American Ballet Theatre for their partnership with the National Dance Foundation.”

Mr. Talbot told a sold-out audience that seven awards are presented each year at the end of the DanceBermuda summer intensive for tuition for the following year’s programme.

“These awards have been funded for the past six years by Catherine Zeta-Jones, who is a passionate and committed member of the Board of the National Dance Foundation,” said Mr. Talbot. “The students receiving these awards have been chosen by the faculty of DanceBermuda based on the students’ ability as well as their focus and determination to succeed.”

The following students were presented with a certificate for tuition at the 2011 DanceBermuda programme, with comments provided by DanceBermuda faculty:

Leah Smith of Bermuda: “For three years, Leah Smith has shown great commitment to her technical programme and artistry.  Leah also brings joy and compassion to the studio.”

Megan Patterson of Bermuda: “Megan has demonstrated a wonderful command of her talent and physical gifts.  We look forward to her progress.”

Cydney Caesar-Forde of Bermuda: “Cydney continues to show extraordinary passion and discipline in her work. We are thrilled to watch this young artist’s spirit blossom.  Quite simply, she is a joy to behold.”

Michelle Saunders of Bermuda: “Michelle possesses a natural dance facility and radiates grace through her quality of movement. Her work ethic is consistent, strong and focused. We look forward to her future development in this art form.”

Fredrika Hill of Bermuda: “Fredrika’s determination and respect for class work and rehearsals set a high standard for others to follow. What a pleasure it has been to watch her rise to each challenge that was presented to her. “

Kyle Scheurich of New York: “Having shown early potential since Dance Bermuda Summer 2006, and seeming to be on a “dancer’s mission,” Kyle has achieved a personal goal, and for that matter, any dance student’s dream of being accepted to The Juilliard School in New York City this coming fall semester. Kyle’s consistency, discipline and creative mind will take him a long way in his future dance journey.”

Daphne Fernberger of New York: “Daphne embraces all forms of dance, making an easy and intelligent transition between ballet, modern, jazz and everything in-between. This approach will enable Daphne to work anywhere, including her upcoming fall semester, where she will join fellow dancer, Kyle Scheurich, at The Juilliard School.”

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NATIONAL DANCE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF 2010-2011 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

HAMILTON, Bermuda, August 11, 2010 – The National Dance Foundation today announced the recipients of scholarship and bursary funds for study at premier dance institutions in the US and the UK.

$35,000 in financial support has been awarded to five Bermudian dancers for the 2010-2011 academic year. This brings the total scholarship and financial aid support provided to Bermuda’s dancers this year by the National Dance Foundation to $88,000.

The Patricia Calnan Commemorative Award, valued at $15,000 and sponsored by PartnerRe and Family & Friends of Patricia Calnan, has been awarded to 19-year old James Waddell. James is entering his third and final year at the Central School of Ballet in London.  He has had the opportunity to train with master teachers and choreographers at the Central School of Ballet and has earned the school’s highest marks for partnering and top marks for overall performance.  James was thrilled to be chosen by his school to represent the art of ballet in the BIG dance press launch at the Sadler Wells Theatre this spring.  James received his formative training at the Bermuda School of Russian Ballet and was awarded the Madam Ana Roje Commemorative Award in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.

The Madam Ana Roje Commemorative Award, valued at $7,500 and sponsored by The Montpelier Re Foundation, has been awarded to 19 year-old Anna Clifford. Anna is entering the second year of a three-year Bachelor of Arts Modern Ballet degree course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) in Glasgow, Scotland.  Anna’s teachers have been impressed with her mature and focused approach to her classes, noting that she has made good progress technically, gaining in both strength and the understanding of the demands of ballet and contemporary technique.  Anna has been invited to perform in the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India in October with her class.  Anna received her formative training at the School of Russian Ballet and In Motion School of Dance in Bermuda and was awarded the L. John Profit Commemorative Award in 2009 – 2010.

The L. John Profit Commemorative Award, valued at $7,500 and sponsored by BF&M Insurance, has been awarded to 24-year-old Jelani Veney. Jelani is entering his fourth and final year as a Bachelor of Fine Arts Performance Dance major at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada.  Jelani’s instructors have stated that they have watched him develop, evolve and, in the past year, begin to transform himself from a young dancer with tremendous potential and talent into a passionate emerging artist.  The comprehensive programme at Ryerson includes ballet, jazz and modern dance, dance and theatre history courses, acting, film, music lessons and backstage production.  Jelani has performed extensively, at Ryerson, and on Island with the Bermuda Civic Ballet.  Jelani received his formative training at the Jackson School of Performing Arts and the School of Russian Ballet in Bermuda.

The Georgine Mary Russell Hill Scholarship, valued at $7,500 and sponsored by The Montpelier Re Foundation, has been awarded to 19-year-old Rikkai Scott. Rikkai is entering his second year at the London Contemporary Dance School (The Place) in London.  Rikkai has participated in a rigourous curriculum and performances and has impressed his teachers with his determination and improvement in ballet and contemporary technique. Rikkai is making the most of The Place’s world-class training and feels his choreographic skills and improvisation have seen dramatic improvement in the year that he has studied at The Place. Rikkai received his formative training at United Dance Productions in Bermuda and was the recipient of the Georgine Mary Russell Hill Scholarship in 2009-1010.

A bursary award of $5,000 has been granted to 19-year-old Courtney Lopes. Courtney is entering her third year in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Dance programme at the Conservatory of Dance at State University of New York’s Purchase College.  Courtney has been chosen to study abroad at the Taipei National University of the Arts in Taiwan for her first semester of the 2010-2011 academic year and is looking forward to studying Kung Fu, Chinese Opera, Yoga, Chinese fan dancing and other Asian inspired movement styles in addition to her ballet and modern technique classes.  This past June, Courtney traveled to Mexico with other dance students from New York to study with modern dance companies and to perform and teach at orphanages.  Courtney also attended the American Dance Festival this summer in Durham, North Carolina for six weeks, participating in master classes with the professional dance companies in residence at the Festival.  Courtney received her formative training at the In Motion School of Dance and the North Carolina School of the Arts and has been the recipient of the L. John Profit Commemorative Award in 2008- 2009 and the Patricia Calnan Commemorative Award in 2009- 2010.

“We congratulate these five talented young people on their achievements,” said National dance Foundation  Chairman Don Kramer. “Since the inception of the National Dance Foundation seven years ago, we have watched them grow and develop into the dynamic performers they are today. They are a testament to the dance schools here in Bermuda who have provided them with a solid foundation upon which to build their technique.

“We are also delighted that three of the scholarship recipients are young men. It isn’t easy to convince boys to pursue dance. James, Jelani and Rikkai are proof of the exciting directions a career in dance may take you.

“We want to extend our most sincere appreciation to PartnerRe, BF&M Insurance and The Montpelier Re Foundation for their continued support of the National Dance Foundation’s scholarship programme. We are deeply grateful that our donors continue to believe in the Foundation’s mission and in the power of dance to transform young lives.

“I also want to thank the members of the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee, chaired by Sallie Singleton. Mary Faulkenberry, Sophia Cannonier, Crystal Caesar, Sal Hodgson and Molly Godet Thomas have decades of dance experience between them and bring an experienced eye to the audition and interview process. I know the committee members join me in thanking Brian Reeder of American Ballet Theatre in conducting the audition class for scholarship applicants.”

WINNER OF SYTYCD SEASON FINALE TICKETS ANNOUNCED

HAMILTON, Bermuda, August 9, 2010 –The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda today announced that Melanie Mendonca is the winner of two free tickets to the season finale of the Emmy-award winning TV series So You Think You Can Dance following a four-day online contest.

Miss Mendonca received 1568 votes. Runner-up Malachie Simmons received 1447 votes, with third place entry Makeda Simmons receiving 168 votes.

In addition to the tickets to the August 12 live broadcast of So You Think You Can Dance in Los Angeles, Miss Mendonca receives two economy air tickets and hotel accommodation, both of which have been donated to the National Dance Foundation.

“We were delighted with the way the community supported this contest,” said chairman of the judging panel Dame Jennifer Smith JP, DHumL, MP. “Voting was intense, and the competition between Melanie and Malachi at times see-sawed back and forth. We congratulate them, and Makeda, for their excellent entries, and thank them all for the time they took to enter the contest.”

It was also announced that two donors were so impressed with Malachi Simmons that they have provide $500 for Mr. Simmons to use for training at the dance school of his choice.

“We are indeed grateful to So You Think You Can Dance co-creator and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe for arranging to have two season finale tickets donated to the National Dance Foundation,” said Foundation Chairman Don Kramer. “Nigel has become a good friend of the Foundation and a great supporter of the development of dance in Bermuda.”

Contest judges chose the three finalists after Bermuda dancers were invited to learn a routine choreographed by husband and wife team Napoleon and Tabitha D’Umo for National Dance Day. The judging panel also included Sophia Cannonier, a National Dance

Foundation Board member; Celia Powell, an executive at donor company PartnerRe; Eric Bean Jr., a member of the faculty of the DanceBermuda summer intensive; and Cathy Aicardi, the Foundation’s Development Director.

BACKGROUND:
Bermudian dancers were invited to learn a routine created by Napoleon and Tabitha D’Umo, So You Think You Can Dance husband and wife hip hop choreographers, and submit their performance to the National Dance Foundation. The public was invited to vote in an online poll featured on the home page of the Foundation’s web site at www.dancebermuda.org.

Mr. and Mrs. D’Umo’s routine was created to encourage participation in National Dance Day, which was observed in the United States on Saturday, July 31 by the Dizzy Feet Foundation, a non profit organization established by Nigel Lythgoe.

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THREE FINALISTS CHOSEN FOR NATIONAL DANCE DAY CONTEST;

PUBLIC INVITED TO VOTE FOR THEIR FAVOURITE

Media Contact: Wendy Davis Johnson

(441) 278-0709

wendydavisjohnson@gmail.com

HAMILTON, Bermuda, August 3, 2010 –The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda today announced that a panel of judges led by Dame Jennifer Smith JP, DHumL, MP has chosen the three finalists in a contest offering two free tickets to the finale of the Emmy-award winning TV series So You Think You Can Dance (“SYTYCD”).

“We were very impressed with the quality of the performances that all of the entrants demonstrated and thank all of them for participating in this contest,” said Dame Jennifer, who is a member of the Foundation’s Honourary Board. “Eight young people took a considerable amount of time to learn the routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha D’Umo, record their performance and submit it for consideration. We know there is considerable dance talent in Bermuda and hope that when an opportunity like this next presents itself, our entry numbers will be even higher. “

The three finalists are Melanie Mendonca, Makeda Simmons and Malachi Simmons. They were chosen by a judging panel that also included Sophia Cannonier, a National Dance Foundation Board member; Celia Powell, an executive at PartnerRe which is one of the Foundation’s major donors,; Eric Bean Jr., a member of the faculty of the DanceBermuda summer intensive; and Cathy Aicardi, the Foundation’s Development Director.

The public is invited to vote for their favourite entry at www.dancebermuda.org.  Voting begins at midnight tonight (August 3) and ends at midnight on Sunday, August 8.  The entry receiving the most votes will be announced on Monday, August 9 and wins two free tickets to the season finale of the Emmy-award winning TV series So You Think You Can Dance which will be broadcast on Thursday, August 12 in Los Angeles.

BACKGROUND:

Bermudian dancers were invited to learn a routine created by Napoleon and Tabitha D’Umo, SYTYCD husband and wife hip hop choreographers, and submit their performance to the National Dance Foundation.
Mr. and Mrs. D’Umo’s routine was created to encourage participation in National Dance Day, which was observed in the United States on Saturday, July 31 by the Dizzy Feet Foundation, a non profit organization established by SYTYCD co-creator and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe.

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A Special Hour of Dance was Truly Special

by Jennifer Hind

The Royal Gazette, June 12, 2010

An Evening of Local and International Dance Talent

by Helen Jardine

Bermuda Sun, June 4, 2010

http://bermudasun.bm/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=230&ArticleID=46495

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National Dance Foundation Receives Funds for The Young Dancer’s Programme from Ross Blackie Talbot Charity Golf Classic

Hamilton, Bermuda, May 11th, 2010: – In an announcement today, Clement E.F. Talbot announced the charity recipients’ donations for the 18th Annual Ross “Blackie” Talbot Charity Classic. He said, “I am very proud and excited to tell you that the six charities: Meals On Wheels, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bermuda, Windreach Bermuda, Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art, The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda and the RBT Education Awards today will receive a combined total of $265,000.”

Read more in The Royal Gazette at  http://www.royalgazette.com/rg/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7da56273003000a&sectionId=60