The Tribune

The National Dance School of the Bahamas held its annual recital last weekend, bringing together hundreds of parents and supporters for a full house.

The dance and drum concert, dubbed: “I Dream in Colour”, was held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts on Shirley Street.

National Dance School administrator Dereka Deleveaux-Grant said the theme reminds the students that “nothing is impossible if you dream in colour, for then your reality will be even easier to achieve.”

The Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture sponsors the National Dance School and its initiatives, including the annual recital, which was free for the public and was well-attended.  Since its doors opened in 1976 under the directorship of E Clement Bethel, the school has been providing professional dance instruction to thousands of young students who would have otherwise not been exposed to the craft.

This year, “I Dream in Colour” featured the colours yellow, to denote sunshine, joy, happiness, intellect, and the ability to be carefree; blue represented comfort, depression, sadness, peace, trust and loyalty; green symbolised nature, growth, harmony, freshness and fertility; red brought forth the fire, energy, danger, strength, power, determination, passion and love, while black was portrayed as power, elegance, fear, sadness and mystery.

Students performed tap, classical, ballet, hip hop, old Bahamian style, African, jazz, and other styles of dance.

Giovanni Wilkinson serves as the current principal dance instructor of the National Dance School. 

He is assisted by Ednal Wright, Jarvis Grant, Tonya Cornish, Chariene Cash, Shanovia Turnquest, Maydi Bacallo-Williams and Mitzie Chipman.