St. Lucia School of Ballet and Modern Dance turned 45 this week; an incredible feat for its founder, Theresa Lowrie-Collymore.
After 45 years of teaching, she says her heart is filled with gratitude.
From 1979 – when it all started, to 2024, more than four decades later, Lowrie-Collymore is basking in it all.
She continues to soar.
“Many of our students… (are) high achievers,” she said this week, at a press launch at the Government Information Service (GIS).
When students enroll with the institute, their lives are instantly “spoken into,” she said, adding that throughout the decades “lives have been shaped.”
Lowrie-Collymore started dancing at the age of five in England and had “a keen ear for music and movement”, according to a post on her website.
After studying for years at various institutes, she brought her talents to Saint Lucia.
“With the encouragement and support from my parents, formal dance classes began,” the instructor noted.
She has had many triumphs but she’s also had difficulties as well.
“All hats are worn by one individual and voluntary assistance does come occasionally, which is most appreciated. We are looking forward to (having another qualified) teacher come on board. The legacy must be preserved,” she stated.
“Since Covid, we have had to move back full time into our premises in Balata which is not owned by the school. Yes, there are advantages to this but the financial commitments (and) the upkeep is tremendous… but we press on,” the instructor added.
Speaking on his time at the School of Ballet and Modern Dance, or ‘The ARK’ (Art to Reverence the King) as it is also called, past student and Choreographer Richard Ambrose, told Lowrie-Collymore “your perseverance allowed individuals such as myself to make headway in our dreams.”
“Without individuals to dance with… I would not be on the journey that I am,” he said.
Additionally, he stated, with the atmosphere at the school, “the examinations, the structure, meeting examiners who are from… different cultures, you gain an appreciation for yourself. You learn that what you have to offer (and) what you bring to the table is valuable.”
Weslyn Stevens, a former student of the School of Ballet, showered Lowrie-Collymore with praise. Stevens, who lives in East Orange, New Jersey, said, “When I began my dance training at this school about 32 years ago, I had no idea the impact this school would have on my life.”
“I trained at the St. Lucia School of Ballet and Modern Dance for eight years and then I migrated to the U.S. where I encountered in high school a young dance educator, LaShonda Chaney, who saw something in me and took me under her wing. Had it not been for the dance foundation that I received here in St. Lucia, my life would be different,” Stevens informed the audience.
“The talent Mrs. Chaney saw would not have been present. Truth be told, at that point in my life, dance as a career had never dawned on me to be something viable. However, I had garnered my technical foundation under the tutelage of Mrs. Collimore and began teaching at the age of 19, honing my creativity and my choreographic skills under the guidance of Mrs. Chaney. I was technically grounded, poised, graceful, and I stumbled into a career in dance. All because Mrs. Collimore had nurtured my talent from a young age,” she added.
Stevens has performed on many stages including the famous Apollo Theater, and according to her, “Dance allowed me the access to enter rooms, spaces, and opportunities that otherwise would not have been afforded to me. Now, as an educator, all the qualities and the skills that I’ve gained are passed down to my students.”
Sadia Snack-Prosper, Attorney at Law and former student of the school, said her experience has been hugely impactful on her development.
“Every day I committed anew and afresh to improving. After my first-grade examination, I achieved a distinction and it facilitated motivation. But what that taught me from a very early age is that… being uncomfortable is important to growth. And there cannot be growth without it,” she emphasized.
Her daughter now attends the school.
“We must remember creativity is not just a thing for the arts; it’s a door to ingenuity,” she stated.
Lowrie-Collymore’s vision for the future is simple. She wants the School of Ballet to be a hub for training “because we believe everyone should dance and everyone who wishes to take a career in the profession should be qualified and take on the study that is required.”