My name is Lisaundor Blossom Reid, a twenty-three year old aspiring professional dancer and advocate for the arts from the small country;Trinidad and Tobago. From a tender age of three, I started folkloric practices and dancing, learning of my past heritage and was already involved in the culture of my community and island. As I grew elder in the arts, so had my love. There and then I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
At that tender age I begun performing at the Tobago Heritage Festival where my passion grew deeply for dancing and the cultural attributes of my community and island. After my secondary pursuits I then ventured unto my BFA in performing arts at the University of Trinidad and Tobago where I would say my dance career would have commenced. As a young growing artist it has always been my dream to shed light through my God given talent around the world, clearing paths for caribbean talents to show the world what we have to offer and also creating platforms to merge the dance communities, bringing us together to help navigate our world through new ways and initiatives in creating sustainable life’s for us artist of the Caribbean. At the age of 17 I started a diverse set training in comtemporary, Ballet, Indian Classical and African Folk and would have gained performing and choreographic experiences through existing cultural platforms such as Carifesta 13 and 14 and also landing my first choreographing gig at the International Soca Monarch Competition with artist Andre Holder aka “Ding Dong” where he placed third in the groovy monarch category, also performing with a number of local artists such as, Machel Montano, Destra, olatunji, Adana and Trinidad Ghost just to name a few.
While I am beyond grateful for the educational growth gained at UTT , I also want to take my career further for there are limited career opportunities for people in the arts in my native. I always admired the level of training and invested interest given in honing aspiring professional artist careers at this world renowned institute.
Being awarded this scholarship was nothing short of a life changing opportunity in unpredictable times. As I continue my journey in developing and mastering my craft I only hope to live a life creating opportunities for talents in communities where youths are able to explore and find there voices in this world. Dance isn’t just a hobby, dancing gives me a purpose and enables me to speak through movement what worlds can’t comprehend. I think I would be a great asset to this institute with my diverse skill sets. Being able to attend the Joffrey Ballet School is one step further to acquiring a career nobody thinks is attainable or sustainable where I am from. I was always told that dancers can’t survive by our craft alone and I am determine to prove us here in Trinidad and Tobago wrong.
This once in a life time opportunity can be made possible with your support in any little way you can, as a growing artist the process has thought me to be courageous, bold and brave in striding towards my goals. Dance is my way of life, and as I persevere despite the discouraging setbacks I’m elated to be even given this opportunity in making a lifelong dream come through. Walk with me as I share my passion for dance to the world. Dance with me on this journey in aim of traveling to New York come January to continue my artistic journey.