Dance Foundation Awards Scholarships
The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda presented scholarships and bursaries to Vidya Cannonier-Watson, T’Aja Williams, Honor Minors, Skye Minors, Ava Joy Moreno, Soleil Richardson, Aura Doran, and Naysaa Tucker.
A spokesperson said, “The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda Fund hosted its annual scholarship award ceremony in the Bermudez Room at O’Hara House AXA/XL on Tuesday, July 13 at noon. The event celebrated the achievements of young dancers and underscored the NDFB Fund’s commitment to fostering Bermudian talent through world-class training opportunities. The Foundation has awarded over $1 million in scholarships since 2005, enabling countless Bermudian dancers to pursue their dreams on the global stage.
“The event which recognized young Bermudian dancers for their exceptional talent and dedication was attended by recipients, donors, and supporters, led by MP Crystal Caesar, a member of the NDFB Fund scholarship committee. Chairman and Fund Advisor, Mr. Brian O’Hara, was also in attendance, along with NDFB Fund Development and Scholarship Committee members.
“This year, the NDFB Fund awarded $46,000 in scholarships and bursaries. Notable awards included the Catherine Zeta-Jones Scholarship valued at $15,000 in honor of Patricia Calnan, a much loved arts critic in Bermuda and founding member of the Bermuda Ballet Association. The Catherine Zeta-Jones Scholarship was presented to Skye Minors, who will be a senior at Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman School of Fine Arts. Skye recently had the opportunity to dance at the historic Joyce Theater in NY and the Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee. She is privileged to be a student of Desmond Richardson, director and founder of the renowned Complexions Contemporary Ballet company. This year, Skye received several offers and scholarships for summer programs after auditioning at the International Association of Blacks in Dance. Thanks were given to Mr. O’Hara, for his continued collaboration and support in regards to this prestigious scholarship.
Sophia Cannonier for her daughter, Vidya Cannonier-Watson, T’Aja Williams, Honor Minors, Skye Minors, Ava Joy Moreno, Soleil Richardson, Tamsyn Doran for her daughter, Aura Doran, TahDae Tucker for her sister Naysaa Tucker
“A $7,500 scholarship sponsored by Arch Bermuda, in honor of Madame Ana Roje, a founding member of the Bermuda Ballet Association, was awarded to Vidya Cannonier-Watson. Vidya will be going into her second last year at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in the UK. Vidya’s incredible talent has allowed her to travel this summer to dance with the world-renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem in NYC, having been awarded a summer intensive merit scholarship to the DTH School.
“The Christian Humann Foundation graciously sponsored a scholarship in honor of former NDFB Fund Honorary Board member, Mrs. Georgine Mary Russell Hill in the amount of $7,500. The Christian Humann Foundation Scholarship was presented to Honor Minors. Honor is a sophomore student at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee pursuing a BFA in Commercial Dance. Her teachers describe her as a “rare blend of talent, dedication and exemplary character”.
“The Bermuda Ballet Association [BBA] award in honor of Mr. L. John Profit, a founding member of the BBA, valued at $7,500 was presented to T’aja Williams. She will be a Junior at George Mason University, pursuing her BFA in Dance. T’aja’s teachers stated that she is a talented dancer and student and has emerged as a valuable student leader.
“The NDFB Fund also distributed several bursaries, with the Chubb Charitable Foundation-Bermuda donating a total of $7,500, shared among three recipients. Ava Joy Moreno, who will be a freshman at Marymount Manhattan College pursuing a BFA in Modern Dance received $3,000. Naysaa Tucker, a Junior at the American Music and Dramatic Academy, Los Angeles pursuing a BFA degree in Dance Theater received $2,500. Aura Doran is in the Senior Advanced High Performance Ballet Program at i.d.a. International Dance Academy in Ontario, Canada and she received $2,000. Additionally, a $1,000 bursary from the NDFB Fund was awarded to Soleil Richardson who will enter her freshman year at Boston Conservatory at Berklee pursuing a BFA in Commercial Dance.
As the event concluded, MP Crystal Caesar left the dancers with inspiring quotes from Jacques d’Amboise – American ballet dancer and choreographer: “Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It’s the rhythm of your life. It’s the expression in time and movement, in happiness, joy, sadness and envy.” And Martha Graham, modern dancer and choreographer, “Great dancers are not great because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.”
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