Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Project and University of The Bahamas Partner to Empower Educators and Dancers During Dance Integration Conference
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To commemorate The Bahamas’ 50th anniversary of Independence, the Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Project has partnered with University of The Bahamas (UB), the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and University of The Bahamas (UB) to present its 5th Annual Dance Educators Forum, "Dance Integration: Beyond Imagination," from 27th to 30th July 2023. This conference/workshop is open to all dancers, educators, and the public.
Supported by UB’s Office of Academic Affairs, the four-day conference and workshops will focus on nation-building through performing arts in public education and programming. Besides the full-day Dance Educators Forum on Saturday, July 29th,there will also be youth program site visits, free dance classes (in person and virtual),lectures on Bahamian dance history and education, an awards presentation, and performances from July 27- 30th.
In keeping with its goal of “moving a nation one classroom at a time,” the Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Project is extending their reach to primary and secondary educators and dance teachers across the nation. Their research-based methods and movement integration workshops will increase student engagement, social and emotional learning, and support classroom management. There will be international and regional emphasis on Afro-diasporic dance traditions highlighting performing arts as culture and culturally responsive methods of teaching dance. Panelists and lecturers will discuss dance education’s impact on the orange economy, and on an individual’s overall wellbeing, creativity and critical thinking skills. Their theme, “Dance Integration: Beyond Imagination Moving a Nation One Classroom at a Time” is timely given the government's recent impetus to establish a performing arts school.
Registration is free for ALL Ministry of Education teachers; free to dance teachers whoregister before 10th July 2023; and $30 ($40 with boxed lunch) for the general public.Conference and workshops will be held in the Harry C. Moore Library and Information Centre at UB’s Oakes Field Campus.
The Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Project is a registered NPO in The Bahamas whose goal is to engage the entire archipelago in improving the health and wellness of our nation while preserving and celebrating Bahamian culture through dance education.
For more information, email: shirleybassproject@gmail.com
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Conference Itinerary
Thursday, July 27, 2023
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8:00 am: Free Public Dance and Fitness Workshop with A'Keitha Carey, Doctoral Candidate at Florida International University, cultural anthropologist and dance educator, University of The Bahamas (UB) Performing Arts Center (PAC)
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9:00 am - 2:00 pm: Continental Breakfast, Cultural Programming Site Visits, for registered participants of Saturday's Forum departing from the UB Library
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5:00 - 6:30 pm: Free Advanced Pearl Primus Dance Workshop, for pre-professional dancers ages 15+, with Sheron Trotman, Barbadian choreographer and dance educator, UB Performing Arts Center
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7:00 - 8:30 pm: Free Public Lecture Caribbean Dance Education and Aesthetics: Possibilities, Contributions, and Futures with A' Keitha Carey at the UB Harry Moore Library American Corner
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Friday, July 28, 2023
- 10:00 am - 12:00 pm: Sightseeing Tour for registered international guests
- 5:00 - 6:30 pm: Free Advanced Katherine Dunham Dance Workshop, for pre-professional dancers ages 15+, with Amansu Tolewa Eason, American choreographer and certified Dunham technique instructor, UB PAC
- 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Free Public Dance and Wellness Workshop - Goombay Dancing with Nathan Burrows, Location: Glinton, Long Island at Yuma Growth Hub
- 7:00 - 8:30 pm: Free Public Lecture Centering Students' Heritage and Contemporary Cultures In the Classroom, with Dr. Chell Parkins, Arnhold Director of Dance Education, University of Wisconsin at the UB Harry C. Moore Library American Corner
- 9:00 -9:30 pm Toast to Shirley at Freddie Munnings Jr.'s Night Club
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Saturday, July 29, 2023
5th Dance Educators Forum hosted by the University of The Bahamas in the Harry C. Moore Library (registration required)
- 8:00 - 8:30 am: Free Mindful Morning movement Class, Shara Goldsmith, Location: PAC
- 8:30 am: Registration
- 9:00 am: Bahamian Continental Breakfast
- 9:30 am: Plenary with Acting Director of Education and former dancer, Mrs. Dominique McCartney-Russell
- 10:00 am: Panel Discussion in the Library Auditorium
- 11:15 am: Student Performance Harry Moore Library Atrium
- 11:30 am: Concurrent Targeted Workshops (primary school teachers, high school teachers, performing arts teachers) with Amansu Tolewa Eason, Sheron Trotman, Chell Parkins, Dr. Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson, independent scholar and Cristin Carole, Forum co-founder, choreographer and dance educator
- 12:45 pm: Boxed Lunch
- 1:15 pm: Debriefing in the UB Harry Moore Library Auditorium (raffle prizes)
- 1:45 pm: Concurrent Targeted Workshops (primary school teachers, high school teachers, performing arts teachers) with Amansu Tolewa Eason. Sheron Trotman. Dr. Chell Parkins. Dr. Nicholeen Degrasse-Johnson and Cristin Carole
- 2:45 pm: Forum Closing to UB Library Auditorium (T-shirts and connection cards/email)
- 7:00 - 8:30 pm: Free Public Lecture The Primus Legacy...My Story with Sheron Barbadian choreographer and dance educator at the UB Harry C. Moore Library American Corner
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Sunday, July 30, 2023
- 8:00 am: Free Liturgical Dance Class with Whitley Sterling. Location: W2 Dance Club, Church Hill Plaza, 2nd Floor, Shirley Street
- 11:30 am - 1:30 pm: Private Brunch for international guests, awardees and sponsors
- 1:30 pm: Private spacing rehearsal for dance groups at PAC (Shara Goldsmith stage manager for All-stars, National Dance Company, Deresa McPhee, Dereka Delavaux-Grant)
- 3:00 - 4:00 pm: Culminating Event and Awards Presentation at UB Performing Arts Center
- National Anthem and Prayer (student)
- lntroduction and recognition of sponsors o Bahamian All-Stars Flag Dancers
- Student Scholarship Awards
- Performances by Ministry of Youth. Sports and Culture Summer Workshop participants
- Film Presentation
- Legacy Award to Gayle Outten-Moncur, El'yanna Burrows-Mackey of The Bahamas All Stars
- "Tribute", Choreographed by Robert Bain, Co-Founder of the National Dance or the National Dance Company
- Lifetime Achievement Award to Robert Bain
- Conclusion
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