United Caribbean
Praise Academy
The Body of Christ
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Praise
Academy
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Praise Academy of Dance Barbados
began in 2003; it is an affiliate of Praise Academy of Dance
Jamaica which was established by C. Patricia Noble in 1993.
Choreographer and designer Marcia Weekes of the Christian
group, Praise Academy Of Dance Barbados. |
This inter-denominational, non-profit
company, headed by Artistic Director Marcia Weekes, has a roll
of 185+ students and a 7 member staff.
Some seen here with Heidi
Baker click to enlarge. |
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Praise Academy of Dance is a non-profit company which
is administrated by a Board of Directors.
| This Christian school brings a message
of hope, encouragement and empowerment to their audiences while
promoting culture and the arts. They have achieved many awards
from the Barbados National Independence Festival of Creative Arts
(NIFCA). |
| These include a Gold award in 2003,
the award for most promising piece 2003, one Silver and one Bronze
award in 2004 and in 2005 they were the only group in the festival
awarded with Gold. They also won two Flame Awards for Dance Group
of the Year 2004 and 2005 and now 2006! |
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Some here Marcia and Dave Weekes son Dan-Jamal
performing for Heidi Baker
and the team from Catch The Wave. |
The mission of Praise Academy,
as we present the Gospel of Christ through Dance, is:
"Changing Mindsets through Movement"
Seen here with Sammi
Jane at a music video shoot |
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Marcia was ordained as a minister in October 2001. She, having been
a dancer herself and further having danced with Harlem Tabernacle
Dance Ministries in New York, U.S.A., has pioneered the start of several
dance ministries in Jamaica and New York.
 Marcia
is also the Director and Co-coordinator with her husband Dave, (right)
of Taking It To The Streets Ministries (TITTS) which is an evangelistic
ministry which has pioneered missions to Jamaica, Barbados, Montserrat,
Curacao and New York. In addition, she co-coordinated arts conferences
in Puerto Rico and Jamaica International Christian Dance Fellowship.
In 2002, Marcia initiated the start of the Gospelfest Dancers, and
thereafter was requested of the board of Praise Academy (Jamaica)
to pioneer the start of Praise Academy of Dance (Barbados)
Upcoming Events
Kingdom Arts International
Arts Symposium
Extracts from the Nation
News
Choreographer and designer Marcia Weekes of the Christian group,
Praise Academy Of Dance Barbados, pointed to the NCF's developmental
work beyond wuk-up and revelry, stating that NIFCA had provided
her group with critical feedback and ideas.
These, she said, had led to the formulation of their
multi-media production, Speak Life, which was currently touring.
"We can testify to the NCF not being only about
wuk-up culture, because NIFCA has been a great stage from which to
promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ," she added.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Reverend Joseph
Atherley, said though one had to be concerned about the prevalence
of "wuk-up", there was much more involved in local culture
such as the sterling efforts of some NCF staff, who were dedicated
and took pleasure in their work.
Email Marcia:
marcia@praiseacademyofdance.org
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