Bahamas – US Dance Immersion Camp

Summertime yields many opportunities for parents to enroll their children into summer programs and American Dance company, Prospect Lefferts Gardens Dance Academy have done just thanks to partnering with local dance schools for an immersion programme set for July 16 – 20.

Local dance schools collaborating with Prospect Lefferts Gardens include Soulful Feet Dance Academy, Passionate Expressions Dance studio and several more which all make ‘AbunDance’.

Approximately 20 students accompanied by their parents and Prospect staff will travel to The Bahamas this week to participate in a week-long program introducing their students to different dancing styles.

In an interview with Eyewitness News founder of Soulful Feet Dance Academy Adanecia Kemp explained where the idea for this dance summer exchange originated from.

“After conversations were had between dancer Mervin ‘Acharo’ Smith who now resides in New York and Karisma Jay (Prospects Lefferts Gardens Dance Academy executive director) about conducting a dance exchange program in The Bahamas, Smith then contacted myself, Andrea Johnson and Samantha Pratt to bring the idea to fruition,” Kemp said.

According to Kemp, the summer immersion programme will teach varied styles of dancing including body conditioning which is “more than just stretching”.

“We try to refine the muscles, tone the muscles by working on different exercises to build strength,” she said.

Jay also emphasized that both teams of American and Bahamian instructors facilitating the dancing courses is vital in terms of cultural exchange and adds that both sets of groups have to learn as well as borrow from one another.

“We are not going there to take from The Bahamas, but we’re going there to give back and we going to learn from them,” Jay confirmed.

“Usually American groups we are the one’s charging and teaching, but not exactly fostering a deeper sense of community with the natives but, in this program, the natives are adamant [about] us having a collaboration that is inherent in the program.”

Jay added that said she felt the idea of this cultural program would be a great opportunity for the students and could further their formal dance experience.

“I want them to have the exposure and inter-connectivity, and collective responsibly to allow us to learn from each other.

“Especially with all that’s going on now with immigration and children,” she added..