Participant Experiences

IDE Story

My name is Catherine Samson and I started the International Dance Exchange (IDE) in 2018 with the help of my parents and two of my dance teachers. I have a deep passion for dance and spend more than twenty hours a week dancing. My parents are development economists and they have a research institute in South Africa where my mom and sister grew up. A few years ago I met up with some teens in a financial literacy program my mom was managing in South Africa. The team was making a video at the time and the students were talking about the challenges they experienced due to lack of resources and finances.

It seemed to me that if I were to organize a dance camp for students over their school holidays, like the ones I attend every year, that this might help keep the students active and away from drugs and other activities that can harm their future. The vision of IDE is to offer youth the opportunity to appreciate the transformative power of dance and to provide youth who share that same passion and vision an opportunity to excel and succeed at dance.

Our Program

The International Dance Exchange program provides a high-level and immersive dance experience filled with movement, music, and adventure which serves  youth in under-served African communities. Along with the benefits of dance, such as discipline, focus, and achievement, our program provides a safe haven to build lasting friendships, helping participants harness the transformative power of dance in their own lives and communities.

During the three day program, participants take lessons from local and international dance instructors whose passion for dance resonates with and engages participants. The children learn dance warmups and standard exercises to foster good practice habits. The instructors and participants work together to develop and choreograph a routine that expresses the dancers’ passions.

The aim of the program is to bring dance to other youth my age who may not have the resources or the opportunity to advance their talent. I know what it feels like to dance.  It brings me tremendous joy and I want to be able to share that joy with others.