A Decade of Leadership, Empowerment, Action, and Dance

This year, our national program LEAD (Leadership, Empowerment, Action, Dance) celebrated a decade of youth leadership development and social impact through dance. Starting as a community co-design project with six youth from the North Preston community in Nova Scotia, LEAD has evolved into a nationally recognized program that reflects NBSʼ ongoing commitment to youth empowerment, social justice, and diverse representation in dance and leadership. 

LEAD creates opportunities for participants 16-25 who have been traditionally excluded from leadership spaces to build leadership skills, expand their networks, and engage with artists whose practices reflect the rich cultural diversity of Canada.

This year we also launched the microgrants initiative, which was created to ensure that the learning and leadership skills participants develop through LEAD extend well beyond the Summit. The goal is for participants to carry their competencies into their own communities, supported by NBS mentors and local service organizations who provide ongoing guidance and encouragement. 

In September, we accepted 10 microgrant proposals from Summit participants. These included individual and collaborative projects, engaging 18 LEAD participants from across the country.

“My main takeaway was the many diverse forms of dance that I hadn’t really known or been exposed to. It wasn’t just about moving your body; all the instructors had unique takes and either history or culture that made it so much more special.”
– LEAD Participant

“I don’t quite know how to encompass it in words, but I feel more like myself after the Summit.”
– LEAD Participant

Here are few photos from the 10th edition of LEAD: