The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN dance students will take the stage alongside world-renowned performers when the Iconique Ballet returns to The Bahamas next month.

The two-day gala, set for March 7-8 at The Island House, will feature principal dancers from The Royal Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet and more. Organisers, Covent Garden Dance, are promising a magical evening, with guests enjoying a three-course meal alongside the performances.

Courtney Celeste Fox, a Bahamian dancer and global dance educator who has taught in more than 20 countries, said she is excited to perform a piece at the event again this year. However, she noted that this year is especially meaningful because a segment will feature Bahamian students.

The students represent nearly seven dance studios on the island, along with two international students.

“It's a real celebration of dance and art, and watching all these students come together from different teachers and different dance studios is really, really beautiful,” she said. “They have some incredible teachers and just really help elevate and propel them and give them a platform to share their gifts.”

Ms Fox said events such as the Iconique Ballet help expose the next generation to what is possible in the world of dance and art. She described it as an eye-opening reminder to aspiring dancers in The Bahamas that they are capable of reaching global stages and excelling.

Borneo Adderley, a Bahamian dancer, will also perform with Ms Fox during the event. Mr Adderley has performed in the country for the past 16 years and is a current member of the National Dance Company of The Bahamas under Mr Robert Bain.

He said the importance of the performance is to show the versatility of male dancers in The Bahamas, whether on a ballet stage, a jazz stage, a Broadway stage or the greatest stage on Earth, the Junkanoo stage.

The programme will also feature soprano Stanesha Deligence.

Tickets start at $350 plus VAT.

Sponsors include Capital Union Bank, The Tribune, The Island House, Kamalame Cay, Wildflowers, Young’s Fine Wine, AVIS and Harlequin Floors.