barbados dance project aims to provide free training to youth on the island

Barbados Dance Project (BDP) is an arts outreach and educational program aiming to educate, collaborate, and engage with the Barbadian community by offering tuition-free dance training as a means to empower and cultivate artistry with the youth on the island. Though the island has deep and beautiful cultural roots across the arts, to date there is no professional dance company based there and no major dance companies tour Barbados. Instead of leaving the island’s youth to watch YouTube videos and television dance shows for exposure to professional dance, BPD provides direct access to professional artists that is key to any young dancer’s development in a 2-week summer dance intensive encouraging students to explore their individuality and collaborative spirit.

Jamal Callender, who created the project in 2014, explains, “The average cost for a student to attend a summer dance intensive ranges from $2,500-$4,000 USD per summer intensive. This doesn’t include travel, room and board etc. A family can expect to pay $5,000-$7,000 USD total on average to send a child to a summer dance intensive. If a student lives abroad and outside the US, the price increases.” BDP provides all of this tuition free, and are fundraising to make this possible. They’ve launched a Kickstarter, and have until May 4th 2017 to make their goal. Click here to support!

Photos by Adrian Richards

Photo by Amleya Clarke