Iconique

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A Night of World-Class Ballet and Bahamian Artistry

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Now in its third year in The Bahamas, Iconique is a signature production of the Covent Garden Dance Company, renowned internationally for transforming beautiful and unique locations into intimate theatres showcasing the very best in classical, neo-classical, and contemporary dance. 

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The two-day gala on March 6–7 at Island House featured principal dancers from The Royal Ballet, the Paris Opéra Ballet, the New York City Ballet, and other world-renowned companies, performing a curated programme of short works. The dress rehearsal on March 5 gave students a rare preview of the full programme.

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This year’s Iconique held special significance for The Bahamas. The programme featured a world premiere commission starring Bahamian-American ballerina Courtney Celeste Fox, a former member of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Princess Grace Award recipient, and winner of the Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Award. 

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Fox, who is of Bahamian descent, has performed and taught dance in over 20 countries and is the co-founder of ArtSea Dance, an organization dedicated to bringing world-class dance education to the Caribbean. She currently serves as the Dance Instructor at Lyford Cay International School in Nassau.

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Performing alongside Fox was Bahamian dancer Borneo Adderley, a 16-year veteran performer and member of the National Dance Company of The Bahamas directed by Robert Bain. Adderley’s performance underscored the versatility of Bahamian male dancers, moving seamlessly between the ballet stage, jazz, Broadway, and the Junkanoo stage.

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The programme also featured Bahamian soprano Stanesha Deligence, a classically trained vocalist and a Boston University graduate, whose stirring performance brought a powerful vocal dimension to the evening and further highlighted the extraordinary depth of Bahamian performing arts talent.

 

Bringing the Community to the Stage

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The Shirley Hall Bass Foundation organized the community outreach component of the dress rehearsal, continuing a tradition established in partnership with the Covent Garden Dance Company and the British High Commissioner’s Office of opening rehearsals to local young dancers and performing arts students. This year, the Foundation coordinated attendance for over 60 students and chaperones from the following organizations across the island:

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Pulse Dance, Creative Space, Karar Dance, Ann Peterson-Higgins Studio, Virtue Dance, Centre for the Deaf, Ranfurly Home Children’s Emergency Hostel.

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Dinner for all students and chaperones was generously provided by Marlon Hirsh, owner of Island Pizza, ensuring that every young person was well-fed and cared for throughout the evening. Sign language interpretation was provided by Tamiko Brown, ensuring full accessibility for students from the Centre for the Deaf.

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Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Project Representatives

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The Foundation was represented at the event by its leadership team: Cristin Carole (Founder, President & Executive Director), Sharon Poitier (Senior Advisor), Shara Goldsmith (JEDI Officer), Carlito Catalano (Cultural Exchange Representative), and Tanya Hanna (Event Coordinator).

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Expanding Access to the Performing Arts

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The dress rehearsal reflects a core pillar of the Foundation’s mission: advancing equitable performing arts education across the African Diaspora and ensuring that young Bahamians have meaningful access to world-class cultural experiences. By bringing together students from private dance studios alongside young people from the Ranfurly Home, the Children’s Emergency Hostel, and the Centre for the Deaf, the Foundation demonstrated its deep commitment to inclusivity and its belief that exposure to the highest levels of artistic excellence can transform young lives.

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Following the dress rehearsal, students had the opportunity to meet the international performers, ask questions about their careers and training, and take photographs—creating lasting memories and inspiring the next generation of Bahamian performing artists.