Artists’ Corner : Amanda Georges – Hear music, must dance
Photography by Alastair Abrehart – Broadsword Communications and Anya Brewley Schultheiss
The music stopped and the DJ introduced the audience to the highlight of their evening’s entertainment. In the crowd of over 300 guests, heads turned one by one to watch the beautiful dancer as the music continued and she moved gracefully within long ribbons of silk fabric, suspended 50ft in the air.
Amanda Georges of The BVI Dance School stole the show at Virgin Islands Property & Yacht’s Readers’ Choice Awards toward the end of 2015, performing her extraordinary aerial silk routine.
Born and raised in the Southern Caribbean island of Trinidad, Amanda began her passion for dance at the young age of four. Because Amanda’s feet had low arches, it was recommended that she be enrolled in ballet classes as it is known to help issues related to flat feet.
Between the age of 4 – 16, Amanda continued to train at the Caribbean School of Dance in Trinidad, where she expanded her expertise to include a plethora of dancing styles with a heavy focus on ballet technique.
Amanda obtained her formal education at the University of South Florida in Tampa where she earned degrees in both Accounting and Dance.
“A dance degree exposes you to a lot: theatre, back stage, costumes, lighting, sound. We made our own video resume, learned the editing software, studied dance techniques, and of course, you learn to teach,” said the multi-talented dancer.
In addition to the traditional styles of dance, Amanda has challenged herself emerging certified to teach dance and movement classes not offered elsewhere in the Territory.
“I have been thrilled to choreograph, dance and create new work as co-artistic director of the Cada Players: Steppin Out, Ringmaster, African Dream, and Kaleidoscope. Another outlet for creativity has been teaching and choreographing kids at the BVI Dance School. When I came to Tortola in in 2010, I realised there is a great interest in trying new things here. For me, I love to be able to present residents of the islands with new and interesting activities,” said Amanda.
New for 2016, Amanda will offer Gyrokinesis, which is “a form of movement with origins in yoga, Thai chi, and dance. It trains your body to move in a more organic way, increases mobility of the joints and stimulates and strengthens the nervous system.” Also, she will soon offer aerial yoga.
The BVI community recognises Amanda for her talented aerial silk performances. Aerial silk is a type of performance from the 1970’s where the dancer uses long ribbons of silk to perform acrobatic routines while suspended in the air.
“After seeing performances in Miami in 2012, I became fascinated in aerial performances and researched workshops pertaining specifically to the art of aerial silk, where I found and attended a retreat in Costa Rica,” Amanda said, elaborating on her talent. “One of my favourite things to do in dancing is to jump; I love being airborne. Being suspended in silk in the air gives that sensation.”
Amanda wishes to expand the arts community within the BVI; she is in the process of constructing a space to be used as a multi-purpose arena for all the artistic mediums to practice, perform, and showcase their talents.
When asked to describe her passion for dancing, Amanda laughed and replied, “It’s just there. It’s a part of you; you hear music, must dance.”
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