La Danse Caraibe (LDC) offers training to children from age 3 in Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) modern contemporary and tap, folk, limbo and Hip Hop. La Danse Caraibe (LDC) opened its doors in September 1986 to offer training to children from age 3 in the ballet technique of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the modern techniques of Martha Gr
aham and Lester Horton. The small school was founded by renowned choreographer and dancer, Heather Henderson-Gordon, after her return home from scholarships with the distinguished dance and performing arts schools, the Martha Graham School, The Ailey School and The Juilliard School. Armed with a deep passion to contribute to Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural landscape, LDC was born out of Henderson-Gordon’s vision to inspire young dancers to pursue their passion while instilling the ethos of discipline, dedication and perseverance. Developing well-rounded dancers, the school celebrates diversity embracing all body types and abilities as it encourages its students to train in a minimum of three (3) dance genres including Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing’s (ISTD’s) modern contemporary and tap techniques. In 1991, LDC expanded its teaching staff to include Allan Balfour becoming the first school in Port of Spain to offer formal training in Hip Hop dancing. Subsequently, in 2006, upon completion of postgraduate studies in the University of the West Indies’ (UWI’s) Arts and Cultural Enterprise Management (ACEM) programme, Henderson-Gordon renewed her focus to prepare dancers for the professional stage complimenting LDC’s classical and urban dance instruction with training in the indigenous dance forms of folk and limbo. Today, LDC offers dance tuition in RAD ballet, ISTD modern contemporary and tap, folk, limbo and Hip Hop with a decorated teaching staff led by Henderson-Gordon and supported by Arlene Frank-Collis (modern contemporary), Candice Ellis (tap, modern contemporary), Gregor Breedy (folk), Makeba Gabriel (limbo) and Takyha Springer (Hip Hop). LDC boasts a long list of past productions including the musical, Dancer, which featured an original sound track composed by Roger Israel, musical direction by Allison St. Clair and a script that was adapted from the book written by Marguerite Gordon. Through the years, Henderson-Gordon’s production expertise and choreographic talents, have been sought out widely in Trinidad and Tobago. Her work was featured in the flag ceremony during the opening of the 2010 FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup. Additionally, her past projects have included choreographic direction for the launch of the Commonwealth Youth Forum during the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and artistic direction for the opening parade of McDonalds in Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, she continues to do ongoing work for veteran events management companies, ISLANDpeople and Unlimited Functions. As a result, LDC has garnered a reputation as a professional children’s dance troupe capable of performing in any forum as its dancers have accompanied Henderson-Gordon on her various creative projects with some moving on to professional careers in dance and the performing arts. LDC offers a performance and rehearsal space at its dance studio, LDC – The Place, for members of the Caribbean's performing arts community.
