Four major local and international companies have thrown their support behind facets of the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda?s (NDFB) operations with generous funding awards.

PartnerRe is the title and sole corporate sponsor of the PartnerRe Master Class and Teacher Training series, which will give more than 350 Bermudian dancers, teachers and choreographers the opportunity to attend classes in Bermuda taught by master teachers representing some of the world?s most prestigious dance organisations free of charge.

?PartnerRe prides itself on its commitment to professionalism and excellence ? something that is also aligned with the core values of the National Dance Foundation,? president and CEO Patrick Thiele said.

?We feel this series is a unique opportunity to support the National Dance Foundation?s efforts to provide world class training opportunities to members of Bermuda?s dance community. The initiative represents a fusion of local talent and international influence, and the result is a cultural experience that benefits everyone.?

XL Foundation has awarded the NDFB $25,000 for operating expenses. The Dance Foundation has established an office at ?Cap-a-Laigle Charities House? on Point Finger Road, Paget, with one full time and two part-time members of staff managing the training, development and governance activity of the Foundation.

?We are impressed by the careful manner in which the Dance Foundation has built its infrastructure,? XL Foundation president Gavin Arton said. ?It has established a sound management structure, and its board of directors and staff are committed to the wise stewardship of donors? funds and also understand the need for transparency and accountability.?

Butterfield Bank is providing $20,000 to be used as bursaries for qualifying dancers to study in Bermuda, or at accredited educational/training institutions overseas. This will be a critical adjunct to the NDFB?s scholarship programme, opening the door to world class training for many students who are denied access because they don?t have the funds. Based on this year?s experience in providing financial support, and the Foundation?s comprehensive knowledge of the Bermuda dance community, up to 20 students will be supported by this particular programme.

?No-one with talent and determination should be denied his or her dream because they don?t have the funds to pursue it,? the Bank?s executive vice president, Wendell Emery, said. ?We know that of the almost 3000 students studying dance in Bermuda up to 15 percent of them have what it takes to excel. Butterfield Bank wants to make sure that there is support for those who want it. This is an investment in our young people and in our community, and we?re proud to be associated with the programmes of the National Dance Foundation.?

Chairman of the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda, Don Kramer, said the support the NDFB is receiving from the private sector, as well as from Government, is indicative of the growing belief that an investment in dance is an investment in the development of positive, healthy young people.

?This is youth development at its best,? he said. ?The young men and women who study dance learn some important things about themselves, their peers and their teachers.

They learn what it means to make a commitment and stick to it, how to work in a group, how to challenge themselves and not be deterred from reaching their goal. They become poised and confident adults, and the chances of them succeeding at their chosen career are greater because of the life lessons learned in the dance studio.?