PHILADANCO! In Barbados: Dance Company Provides Teaching and Opportunity at Caribbean Arts Festival
The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO!) has been a regional phenomenon since its founding in 1970, contributing to the diverse cultural landscape of our city. The dance company has also developed its presence on the world stage by performing around the world. This year, PHILADANCO! is reinvigorating its international travel for the first time since the pandemic, with new global opportunities and the upcoming European tour. The first stop: Barbados for CARIFESTA XV.
An annual Caribbean arts festival, CARIFESTA celebrates and teaches art forms that define Caribbean identity for so many– from film to literary arts to fashion. The event began back in 1952 in Puerto Rico, but for its most recent festival from August 22- 31, 2025, a new emphasis was put on international education. “This is one of the first CARIFESTAs where a great effort is being made to bring professionals from across the dance world into the Caribbean space for people to learn from directly,” explained Aisha Comissiong, Dance Lead of the festival.
This is where PHILADANCO! came in. CARIFESTA invited the Philadelphia Dance Company to host a dance workshop, and as a company widely appreciated for its preservation of African-American dance traditions, the dancers exhibited and passed on these traditions in addition to other styles through its two-hour Modern/Contemporary masterclass– a highlight of the festival as a whole.
The workshop was not just a learning opportunity, but an audition-like setting for attendees. A PHILADANCO! partner offered two scholarships for the Summer Intensive Program, a six-week training opportunity that incorporates different dance techniques and styles each week, as well as a performance at the conclusion of the program. The scholarship made such an experience a reality for dancers who may have never had the opportunity or the means to join.
This is a valuable new relationship between PHILADANCO! and CARIFESTA, bridging the two artistic communities and encouraging cultural exchange through common interests. The Philadelphian dancers gained international performing and teaching experience, expanding their presence and recognition across the world and diversifying the skillsets of the company by bringing in international talent. The openness with which PHILADANCO! shared their traditions and welcomed young dancers is a heartwarming demonstration of our city’s commitment to celebrating international cultures and creating welcoming environments.
Innovative and global-minded groups like PHILADANCO! make our city so recognizable as a hub for not just arts, but cultural preservation and education too. The power of exchanging art forms cannot be understated in a cultural context. People come together to experience art– a universal language that has unique nuances in every culture, and Philadelphia is proud to be a leading voice.
https://philadanco.org/2025/08/19/global-professionals-for-carifesta-dance-workshops/