United States-BASED DANCER JAMAL CALLENDER’S dreams were Kickstarted into reality recently.
?And after crowd-sourcing the funds needed to host the dance workshop he started in 2010, the work of the summer intensive was proudly showcased last Friday at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination.
The workshop was usually done in collaboration with the National Cultural Foundation, but it did not have enough funds to host it this year. As such, Callender decided to solicit assistance through Kickstarter’s website.
Some of the over 60 participants, consisting of a mix of well-known dancers and rising stars, showcased their moves in front of an intimately appreciative audience. They performed four pieces: Motives/Thoughts, Redemption, Solo and the finale, Jam With Me, as well as demonstrating moves learned in the two weeks of classes.
Callender was assisted by instructors Vanessa Valecillos and Min-Tzu Li for this year’s initiative. Ballet and contemporary classes were offered during the day to serious dancers, while BIM-dance targeted children and adult amateur dance aficionados. All classes were free.
Callender, who was born in Barbados, hoped the programme would be an annual one, with aims of starting a national dance company. He also wanted to allow talented local dancers to spread their wings outside of the island.
“What I would love to do is scout for dancers and get full scholarships for the states and abroad . . .,” he told WEEKEND BUZZ after the Project 2014 showcase.
“I am trying to curate dancers who are passionate [to] let them have opportunities to experience dance globally.” (LW)
