Ann Marie C. Venner

Dance Development Officer

Curriculum vitae

Date of Birth: 31st December, 1958

Place of Birth: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Marital Status: Single

Dancer, Choreographer and Dance teacher by profession, I am 5ft 4 inches tall with dark complexion and am a resident of Saint. Vincent and the Grenadines, West Indies.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is one of a chain of islands in the Eastern Caribbean, lying between Saint Lucia in the north and Grenada in the south at longitude of approximately 61.5 west and latitude of 13 north. The total population is estimated to be 109,991 as of 2012.

The mainland is 18 miles long (being the longest point) together with the Grenadines dependencies, it has a total area of approximately 150 square miles.

In 1989 I founded the Junior Dance Club and subsequently in 1992 was the recipient of The Organization of American States (OAS) Fellowship to study dance at the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, Jamaica. The scholarship came at a time when I was beginning to feel the need for fresh material.

In 1996 I obtained the Diploma in Dance Education from the Joint Board of Teachers’ Education, University of the West Indies. At this point dancing and choreography became my life work. On my return to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines I resumed my teaching with the Club and was very active in choreographing and organizing a number of performances both locally and abroad. As a dancer I am consumed by a search for new ways to use dance to express the complexities and absurdities of life

In 1997 I was appointed to the Post of Dance Development Officer at the Ministry of Culture in my homeland and in 2002 obtained the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a major in dance from the State University of New York, College at Brockport, USA.

Background Information

1997 - 2001 - Dance Development Officer in the Ministry of Education,

Youth, Sports and Culture.

2001 - 2005 - Dance Development Officer in the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

2006 – 2010 - Dance Development Officer in the Ministry of Urban Development, Culture, Labour and Electoral Matters.

2006 – 2010 - Chairperson on the Board of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Cultural Foundation statuary body responsible for stimulating and facilitating the development of dance, literature, music, fine arts and culture generally.

During this period I have created the National Dance Company and put in motion the mechanism for the first National Music and Entertainment Awards in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

2011 – 2012- Dance Development Officer in the Ministry of National Mobilisation, Social Development, the Family, Persons with Disabilities, Youth, Sports, and Culture.

2012 – 2015- Dance Development Officer in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports & Culture

Education/Training

1992 – 1996 - Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, Jamaica

Diploma in Dance Education – trained teacher.

1998 - Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, Jamaica

Dance summer workshop - certificate.

2001 – 2002 - State University of New York, College at Brockport, USA

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree.

2001 - State University of New York, College at Brockport, USA

Dean’s List for Academic Excellence

2009 & 2010 - Workshop on Time Management, Leadership Seminars for Middle Managers and Event Planning organized by the Training Division, Service Commission Department in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Publications

2003 - Complied the Dance Handbook – “Teaching Creative Dance – A

Classroom Teacher’s Guide” published 17th February.

2008 - Developed the Dance Curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 9

Students in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

2011 - Compiled Handbook on the “Quadrille Dance” – traditional dance of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

2012 - Developed the Dance Curriculum for the Performing Arts Program at the St. Vincent Community College leading to an Associate Degree.

Related Experiences

1974 - Member of the Hairoun Dance Group.

1974 - 1979 - Member of the New Artist Movement Drama and Dance Group.

1989 – Present- Founder/Choreographer of the Junior Dance Club –A theatre Arts

Organization involving children ages 4 to 16 years in the various disciplines of the arts.

1992 - Participated in Carifesta V held in Trinidad and Tobago as a dancer/performer.

1995 - Participated in Carifesta VI held in Trinidad and Tobago as a

Dancer/Performer.

1998 - Choreographed dances for presentation at Expo. 98 held in Portugal in August.

2000 - Choreographed the dances and head the contingent to Carifesta VII held in St.Kitts.

2003 - Choreographed the dances for presentation at the Caribbean Festival of the Arts (Carifesta VIII) held in Suriname in August.

2006 - Adjudicator for the Miss SVG Beauty Pageant 2006, SVG

2004 – 2008 - Part-time Lecturer at the St. Vincent Community College teaching dance technique (Modern, Ballet and Folk.)

2012 – 2014 - Part-time lecturer at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College in dance related subjects, such as, dance history, dance technique, dance composition to full-time and part- time students

2007 – 2011 - Choreographer of the National Cultural Foundation National Dance Company.

2008 - Choreographed the dances for the National Dance Company participation in Carifesta X held in Guyana in August.

2008 - Guest Performer at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank 25th Anniversary, St. Kitts

Event/Festival

1998 – 2014 - Coordinator of the Kingstown Cooperative Credit Union and the Ministry of Culture National Dance Festival.

The Dance Festival is staged bi-annually and provides an avenue for school students and community group members to showcase their talent.

The general aims of the festival are to:

Develop individuals’ creativity, imagination and choreographic skills,

Provide an avenue for persons to express themselves in a non-verbal manner,

The continued development of our traditional dances (The Quadrille, Maypole and the Punta Dance steps), and

To assist in shaping the dance art form in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

1998 – 2014 - Coordinator of programs for visiting delegations from around the region and international to conduct workshops and staged productions in the various art disciplines.

1998 – Present - Work along with schools, church and other dance organizations to provide logistical support and creating dances for presentation at their various endeavours.

Church

2012 – Present - Secretary of the Parish Church Council – St. George’s Cathedral

2012 – 2014 - Co-ordinator of the Youth Committee – St. George’s Cathedral

2015 – Present- Co-ordinator of the Culture Committee – St. George’s Cathedral

Awards

2014 - An Award – Given by the St. Vincent Girls’ High School in recognition for the sterling contribution made towards the development of dance within St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Address: Diamond

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, W.I.

Current Address: 860 N. McQueen Road, Chandler, AZ

Tel: 480-***-**** (mobile)

480-***-**** (home)

Email: acrzpk@r.postjobfree.com/acrzpk@r.postjobfree.com

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