Kerosene, a magnifying glass, and a match are just a few ways to spark a fire, but one young Bermudian has found an entirely different way to strike a spark.

Princess Symonds, 18, recently became part of Wildfire Dance Theatre, a prestigious travelling Canadian performance group that aims to blaze a trail of social change using dance theatre. The group is a Baha’i faith inspired project.

“I love to dance,” Miss Symonds told The Royal Gazette during a short visit back to Bermuda. “My mother said since I was born I was just dancing all the time. I always liked to act as well. Towards the end of my high school education I decided that I wanted to devote a year of my life to serving mankind.

“The Baha’i faith really encourages devoting a period of time to helping mankind. It doesn’t matter how long. It doesn’t matter when. It is about devoting some time to serving someone other than yourself. It is about going into a space where you learn something new, and use skills you already had.”

Students from many different countries do six months to a year in The Wildfire Dance Theatre group. They travel around in a 12-seater van performing at various schools and organisations. They perform dances and talk with students of all ages about a range of social issues including human rights, violence, racism, gender equality, and drug abuse, among others.

“The majority of us are Baha’i, but you don’t have to be a Baha’i,” Miss Symonds said. “It is based on the principles of unity and diversity — the oneness of mankind. When we travel from town to town we are usually billeted by Baha’i families. They are the ones who usually invite us to their community, and arrange the performances, but we don’t go into schools and organisations as a Baha’i project.

“We go as a group of youth who are working to inspire change in the world, and want to spread these messages through the dances. Students are sometimes more willing to hear a message through a dance than listen to something spoken to them.”

Because the dancers are between the ages of 18 to 22, they often find it easier to identify with students and reach out to them.

“The Wildfire message is that it is possible to change, and that there is a solution to these problems if only you would open your eyes to them and not put up a wall of ignorance,” said Miss Symonds.”

More than halfway through her year-long stint, she has already grown mentally, spiritually and physically. She has grown physically, because the programme is gruelling. Students perform two shows a day, six days a week. They have to remember steps to between 18 and 20 different dances.

To get into the project there is an application process and an interview. Competition is fierce because, in every town they visit, they inspire other students who to join Wildfire.

“You don’t need any prior dance experience,” said Miss Symonds. “You just have to come willing to serve, and willing to give yourself wholly to the project.

“It can be very stressful, and it is very trying, mentally and physically. It is stressful because we are constantly together, often travelling around in a small van.”

After being accepted into the programme, Miss Symonds went through five weeks of training, six days a week, 12 hours a day. Much of this training involved physical fitness, and dance training.

“When we go into schools, we do an hour to an hour and 20-minute show, and then afterwards we have a workshop with some of the classes. We talk to them about some of the issues in the dances. The teacher might already have chosen what topics they want us to discuss.

“We could be in an inner-city school, where the teacher would choose for us to talk about gangs or domestic violence and racism. We ask the students what they got from the performance. We ask the students about what dances they liked and what dances they related to. The flow of conversation opens up.

“We ask them, ‘what was the message in this dance? What would you have done differently?’ It might go for a more personal level. Someone might say that reminded me of my mom and dad. I have seen people become really emotional from watching, because it is not only dance, it is dance theatre.

“We are acting out a story. It is like a moving picture. Sometimes people cry, or laugh. It can be very emotional for people who watch it.”

Miss Symonds said she would like to see the group come to Bermuda, but Wildfire has recently grown in popularity and can be difficult to book.

They recently received $30,000 from the Nunavut government, to perform there. Nunavut became one of Canada’s newest provinces in 1999, and is one fifth the size of Canada. Many of the people who live there are Inuits.

“We are going for a month to travel from community to community to do our dances,” she said. “Right now the communities there are very desolate. It is very poor. There is a lot of drug abuse and domestic violence.

“We have a very important purpose. Going there will probably be the most important part of our tour. This is where people need to see hope. I don’t know if I can explain how much I want to go there and want to help.”

Miss Symonds said she has had many wonderful experiences with Wildfire, despite the high physical and mental demands.

“The children in elementary schools see you and they love you,” she said. “Afterwards they think you are some kind of celebrity. They come running after you and ask for our autographs. We don’t write our names because we are not celebrities and that is taking away from our message.

“Instead, we write inspiration messages, such as ‘Youth Can Move The World’, ‘Be The Change You Wish To See in The World’, or ‘Smile’ or whatever. They don’t remember our names, but they remember the quotes because they are the messages we want to get across.”

She said sometimes meeting new people, and constantly moving around can be tiring, and wearying, but still, she is extremely happy in the programme.

“You are worn out by the end of the day,” she said, “but it is a new experience at every school. You are reaching a new person, every day. You are touching a new life every day. That is a wonderful experience. It makes me so happy. It could be a 12-year-old or a 20-year-old and it is the same effect.”

After performing with Wildfire, Miss Symonds plans to attend the York University in Canada, where she has already been accepted into the theatre programme. She is hoping to go into teaching after university.

For more information about the Wildfire Dance Theatre go to www.wildfiredt.com .