TEACHER TRAINING - November 4 - 6, 2005

World-renowned Franco De Vita, who has just been appointed Director of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Dance at American Ballet Theatre, will be conducting seminars for Bermuda dance teachers from Friday, November 4 - Sunday, November 6 at BHS.

These seminars are being offered free of charge as a part of the NDFB's focus on the development of dance excellence in Bermuda . To date, 12 teachers from the island's dance schools have registered for these sessions.

 

Mr De Vita's bio is attached .

 

Mr De Vita's seminar will cover principles and practices used in ABT's training programmes. The classes are designed for the classical ballet instructor and will cover pedagogy, musicality and class development.

 

Dance teachers interested in attending the seminars should contact the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda at 236 3319.

INFORMATION SESSIONS - Sunday, November 6, 2005

(Click here for time and venue)

DanceBermuda 2005 , which saw 43 Bermuda dancers and 23 from the United States and Canada participate in a three-week intensive dance programme, was so popular with the young men and women who were a part of it that the NDFB and ABT are adding a new level to the summer intensive schedule.

 

Called the Young Dancer's Programme , the curriculum for this level is tailored for the development and training needs of dancers aged 9-11.

 

The programme has been created specifically for the DanceBermuda summer intensive by ABT instructors Richard Toda and Stacey Mahan , who will be sharing the teaching load between them next August, under the direction of Nancy Raffa, Executive Director of ABT's Summer Intensive programmes.

 

A sample schedule of the Young Dancer's Programme is attached, as are Mr Toda's and Ms Mahan's biographies.

 

Mr. Toda is no stranger to Bermuda , having conducted master classes for 100 dance students in February of this year and having participated in auditions for DanceBermuda 2005.

 

Both Mr Toda and Ms Mahan taught in local schools during the 2002 visit to Bermuda by American Ballet Theatre for the Bermuda Festival.

 

On Sunday, November 6, parents and students aged 9-11 will be given an overview of the Young Dancer's Programme and will be given the opportunity to ask questions.

 

There will also be a separate information session for dancers aged 12-21 who are interested in auditioning for DanceBermuda 2006.

 

Both of these sessions will be held at the Jessie Vesey Centre at Bermuda High School on Richmond Road.

 

DanceBermuda 2006 will be held from August 7-25, 2006 at the Jessie Vesey Centre at BHS on Richmond Road , Pembroke. Auditions for the programme will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2006 at BHS. Information about DanceBermuda 2006 can be found at www.dancebermuda.org .