This summer advanced dancers and instructors from the Ferndale Dance Academy will travel to Santarém, Portugal to participate in a cross cultural dance exchange with Círculo Cultural Scalabitano, a dance school certified by the Royal Academy of Dance. This artistic and cultural exchange has been developed by Laura East and Vítor Murta with the support of Santarém’s Minister of Culture. It will take place July 11-15. Dancers from both countries will take classes in a variety of styles for 7 hours a day taught by instructors from both dance studios. The intensive will conclude with a collaborative performance, which will include a piece created during the intensive featuring the dancers from both countries.

To see the remarkable local talent that will be representing our community on an international scale, please refer to the photo above. All photos were taken by Matt Knowles and are used with his permission. He has graciously donated his talent and services to FDA dancers for twenty years.

Help these young women, all of whom serve as role models in our community, to reach their goal of raising $10,000 by donating today. All funds raised will be divided equally between them and will be used to cover airfare and lodging. Once in Santarém, Círculo Cultural Scalabitano will be hosting FDA dancers so their classes will be free. By investing in these young dancers and their knowledge and experience, you invest in our community. Thank you for supporting us!