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 institution with dance candidates Naomi Warsop, Lian Borsje and Marine Caillet.
The initiative is part of NIA’s on going pursuit of providing excellence in the arts through their education program and is funding the cost of this trip in collaboration with the family of Cees, through the Cees van Dolderen Memorial Fund.
NIA was formed by the joining of two of St.Maarten most prestigious dance training centers, Motiance Dance School and Imbali Center for Creative Movement to form NIA, St.Maarten’s foremost inter-disciplinary art education center.
All 3 candidates have been prolific in their involvement in the St.Martin artistic scene, and have distinguished themselves by winning at various dance and talent competitions locally, regional and internationally. Naomi, Lian and Marine and have reached the phase of their dance education, where more concentrated efforts in their training are necessary, to make the leap into a career as professional performing artists a reality.
The candidates ranging in ages 16 to 19 years have been training more than half of their lives as dance artist 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 Dept. of Culture for the “Talenten Beurs” 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 and Dashaun Prince in Jamaica at the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts.
NIA staff, teachers, parents and students are extremely proud of our student's accomplishment’s and wishes all our Students abroad continued success as they embark on a new chapter in their lives.
National Institute of Arts to travel to the Netherlands with 3 dance students.
