The
Conservatory
CONSERVATORY Community Bursaries
The Conservatory is dedicated to making dance as inclusive and accessible as possible, as diversity strengthens and enriches our art.
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No dancer becomes an artist alone; we all benefit from the time, resources, generosity and encouragement of those who support our journeys in dance. It is our duty to pay these contributions forward, and when it is feasible, to remove systemic barriers that may prevent members of our community from taking part in this beautiful art form.
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To this end, The Conservatory is humbled to offer a number of needs-based bursaries to the community, with the hopes that we can support current, emerging and future generations of dancers. Each bursary is allocated to dancers at different stages of artistic development, so that the funding can support as broad and as varied a group of dancers as possible. We are deeply grateful to the donors who have made these bursaries possible, and are honoured that we can carry on their legacies within our community.
Because bursary funding is donor-dependent, available funds are limited, and will vary from year-to-year. We are thrilled to offer support when possible, but we cannot guarantee funding for any/all applicants; nor can we guarantee funding beyond the terms awarded. Bursary funds are awarded for classroom time in lieu of tuition only, and do not have a cash value. We hope that our community will appreciate the necessity of these limits with a spirit of gratitude and understanding.
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Community members interested in applying for Conservatory bursary funding can do so by selecting the bursary that best fits their needs, and then completing and submitting the secure and confidential application at the bottom of this page.
DR. ANGELES GARCIA AMEIJEIRAS DISCOVERING DANCE BURSARY
Awarded to a dancer of any age (including young dancers and families) exploring dance and/or new cultural and artistic experiences.
Value: Tuition for any dance class up to 1 hour in length.
Dr. Angeles Garcia Ameijeiras was a visionary who saw the need for greater cultural and artistic diversity in our region. Through her inspiration and persistence, she encouraged Anthea to offer flamenco dance lessons in 2001 and as a community, we became the region’s first flamenco dance entity. In traditional cultures, family and community are integral; so family flamenco classes were developed to foster intergenerational dance experiences. Family flamenco is where Melissa and Anthea met, and they share many fond memories of dancing with Angela and the families in our community. Angela encouraged Melissa to explore the healing capacity of dance, and in 2006 she founded ConCorpsDance Inclusive Dance, dedicated to offering mixed-ability dance, particularly for the vulnerable sector and people with special needs. Together, these two communities formed the foundations of what became The Conservatory in 2018, with our dedication to sharing culture through dance with all ages and abilities. Angela’s life reflected her deep humanity, her love of dance, her perseverance and her constant awareness of needs that led to new beginnings. Angela loved her garden and, in many ways, dance was just another garden for her. Those seeds she planted at the turn of the millennium are just starting to blossom. The Conservatory owes a debt of gratitude to Angela’s Catalan gracia. To learn more about Angela, please click the button here.
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EMERGING ARTIST BURSARY
Awarded to a dancer with previous dance training seeking to further their technical and artistic development through more intensive training in new dance genres, or in more advanced work in a genre of previous or current training.
Value: Tuition for any dance class up to 1.5 hours in length.
The Emerging Artist Bursary has been generously funded by an anonymous donor who seeks to offer dancers the opportunity to expand their artistic horizons in the same spirit of giving that was extended to them during their dance training for many years. Photo Credit: Mark Aiden Bergin
FRANCIS J. MAHADY LIFELONG LEARNER BURSARY
Awarded to a youth or adult dancer in the celebration of community, and to honour the role of the arts in health, personal growth and wellness.
Value: Tuition for any dance class up to 1.5 hours in length.
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The Lifelong Learner Bursary is awarded in memory of an extraordinary father, husband, brother, coach and community member whose brilliant mind, curiosity and courageous embrace of new beginnings motivated many to approach challenge and growth with grace, adventure and humour. His remarkable perseverance, resilience and achievements served as a constant reminders that beauty and wisdom can be found in the most humble of circumstances; his laughter reminded us that love endures and transcends all when we open ourselves to life's possibilities. Above all, he lived life with gratitude for the multitude of kindnesses that had been shown him, and he instilled in his loved ones the responsibility for generosity and giving back, so that we, as a community all rise together. His spirit is carried on in The Conservatory's values and programs, which he continues to inspire.
Claude Marc Forest BURSARY
Awarded to a male-indentifying dancer seeking to further their technical and artistic development, particularly in ballet.
Value: May vary by applicant needs and interests; please see the link below.
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As part of our ongoing commitment to increasing accessibility in dance, The Conservatory is delighted to be partnering with the Inner Harbour Collective and 5678 Dance Studio to support the Claude Marc Forest Scholarship for boys/male-identifying dancers. Founded by male-identifying dancers who grew up in Kingston, we are thrilled to be invited by the Inner Harbour Collective to both honour an old friend and colleague, as well as support mentorship and help to remove gender-based stigma in dance. PLEASE NOTE: This scholarship requires a separate application form; to learn more about the scholarship and apply, please visit: https://www.ihcollective.com/more-about-the-scholarship.
