Supporting the Arts: OECS 30 Under 30 Winner Advocates for Dance at General Assembly in France
Desi Brown, founder of Poise SKN, participates in 23rd International Dance Council
In an effort to raise awareness and support the development of the creative arts in St. Kitts and Nevis, and by extension the OECS region, former OECS 30 Under 30 winner and founder of Poise SKN, Desi Brown, participated in the recently held 23rd General Assembly of the International Dance Council (CID) at the Palais de l’UNESCO in Paris, France on 4 December 2019.
The 25-year-old was especially welcomed by President of the CID and Greek Dance Historian, Alkis Raftis, during his address at the Opening Ceremony. Brown’s company, Poise SKN, is the first member of the international dance organisation from St. Kitts and Nevis.
In her address, Brown embraced the opportunity to appeal to the international community to assist with the development of dance in her island home.
“This was an opportunity to connect with dance professionals on a global scale. I was overjoyed with the level of interest and discussions on areas of collaboration, such as technical assistance, to support dance development in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
“I really believe that the opportunity to be a part of such a wide community will allow me to not only grow my small enterprise but to make a bigger imprint on the dance community in St. Kitts and Nevis and by extension the OECS. We have so many things to learn about dance that can help us to evolve. It's about time we really tap into our resources so we too can be huge contributors of dance on the world stage,” Brown said.
The young entrepreneur is now a CID ambassador and, as such, is expected to sensitise groups about the organisation and mobilise support for dance in the Federation. Brown welcomed the new challenge, noting the dedicated and ongoing advocacy work and community outreach initiatives of her company, Poise SKN.
“We give back to the community a lot. We assist many students by offering scholarships to access our services, with the knowledge that expression through dance can assist in their artistic formation and contribute to them becoming well-rounded individuals.”
“We also give an award to the Basseterre High School (BHS), my alma mater, every year for the last 9 years - since I graduated. We support the student who performs outstandingly well in the CSEC examination with active participation in extracurricular activities,” Brown affirmed.
The 23rd CID General Assembly was attended by 211 CID Members from 43 countries of the 5 continents and was held at the Palais de l’UNESCO in Paris.
About Desi Brown:
Desi Brown is a 25-year-old entrepreneur and founder of Poise SKN, from St. Kitts and Nevis. In addition to her passion for creative arts and cultural industries, Desi has an avid interest in issues surrounding world politics and governance. She holds a Bsc. in International Relations (major), Business Management (minor) from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus (UWI) where she was fondly referred to as the ‘Dancing Diplomat’. Desi has had the opportunity to represent the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis at varying international youth development and youth in governance initiatives. She has also participated in several Model United Nations platforms as a student at the UWI. In 2017, Desi was selected as one of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States’ top 30 entrepreneurs under the age of 30 (OECS 30Under30) initiative.
The former Youth Parliamentarian has many awards and accolades for founding several initiatives both in the Federation and Jamaica in youth activism.
About Poise SKN:
Poise SKN is a creative enterprise that has made tremendous strides within the entertainment and cultural industries within the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in dance, promotional marketing and pageantry. Poise SKN currently operating out of Port Zante, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis and delivers service to parents, children, young adults, and small, medium and large businesses.
About the International Dance Council:
The International Dance Council or Conseil International de la Danse (CID) was founded in 1973 and is the official umbrella organisation for all forms of dance in all countries of the world. The non-governmental organisation cooperates with national and local governments, international organisations and institutions. Its members are the most prominent federations, associations, schools, companies, and individuals in over 170 countries. CID is an official partner of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
