PHILIPSBURG – On Wednesday, December 7, Co-director of the National Institute of Arts (NIA) Arlene Halley, will travel to the Netherlands on a tour to prospective tertiary dance institutions with dance candidates Naomi Warsop, Lian Borsje and Marine Caillet.
The initiative is part of NIA’s ongoing pursuit of providing excellence in the arts through their education program, and is funding the cost for this trip in collaboration with family of Cees, through the Cees van Dolderen Memorial Fund.
NIA was formed by the joining of two of St. Maarten’s most prestigious dance training centers, Motiance Dance School and Imbali Center for Creative Movement. They became NIA, St. Maarten’s foremost inter-disciplinary art education center.
All 3 candidates have been prolific in their involvement in the St. Maarten artistic scene, and have distinguished themselves by winning various dance and talent competitions locally, regional and internationally. Naomi, Lian and Marine have reached the phase of their dance education, where more concentrated efforts in their training is necessary to make the leap into a career as professional performing artists a reality.
The candidates, ranging in ages of 16-19 years, have been training more than half of their lives as dance artists, and wish to pursue their dreams of becoming professionals in their craft.
NIA is working in close collaboration with Amsterdamse Hoge School voor the Kunsten Percy Kruythoff in creating more possibilities for future St. Maarten dancers who wish to continue with their dance training in the Netherlands at this institution.
Fernando van der Kraats is currently enrolled in the 5 O’clock Program at the Amsterdam Hoge School for the Kunst, while Clifford Henry of NIA’s teaching staff is awaiting a response from the Department of Culture for the “Talenten Beurs,” and has also been accepted into the program.
NIA’s family of students excelling abroad is expanding. In addition to Fernando in Holland, there is also NIA alumni Otmar Martina and Celina Monsanto studying dance in the Netherlands, while alumni Melvin Le Blanc pursues his career in London, England, and Dashaun Prince in Jamaica at the Edna Manley College for Visual and Performing Arts.
“NIA staff, teachers, parents and students are extremely proud of our students accomplishment’s and wishes all our students abroad continued success as they embark on new chapter in their lives,” a statement said.
