Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 18/Jan 02:34

Veronica Callender, dancing her way to the top

Veronica Callender, 11, placed first in two categories at the All Dance World Championships competition in Orlando in April 2025 and is hoping to repeat the accomplishment next year in Italy. Callender secured two wins as All New Dancer, ages 11-14, for both the Dancehall and Afro dance categories. She was one of three people representing TT, and one of two from her dance school, Lil Angel of Dance. It was her first trip to the US and her first international competition. She said she found travelling tiring but enjoyed performing and making new friends from around the world. “I felt excited! Backstage, I was completely excited to go on stage and dance in another country.” [caption id="attachment_1203027" align="alignnone" width="683"] Veronica Callender, 11, a student of Newtown Girls' RC School will represent TT, in the All Dance World Championship, in Italy. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption] In preparation for the event, she trained really hard to perfect the dances choreographed by her dance teacher, Roxanne Augustine-Charles. “Initially, I was getting trouble with some of the moves, but by the next month, I started to keep up with the moves. I improved a lot, and I got more confident.” Callender said she has never been nervous to go on stage, and this was no different because she has a trick – she pretends she is in her room dancing with no one watching. However, she admits to being nervous while waiting for the results, which the participants shared on stage. While waiting for the results, she was upset and ready to cry because she heard other children’s names being called for the first, second and third positions in her two categories. That was until her mother pointed out that the announcement was not for her age group. “After I got my two trophies, I came off the stage, and I was jumping like a frog! I was really happy.” In Orlando, she and her mother went shopping, tried fast food that she couldn't find in Trinidad, and told all her new friends about her country. [caption id="attachment_1203104" align="aligncenter" width="473"] Veronica Callender in her costume for the All Dance World Championships competition in Orlando last April. -[/caption] A student of Newtown Girls’ RC School, she started dancing six years ago with Dance Dynamix of TT but switched to Lil Angel of Dance in 2024. Her favourite styles of dance are Dance Hall, Afrobeats, Reggaeton and Hip hop, but she would love to start studying traditional Indian dance soon. She is currently a recruit in the TT Cadet Force Steel Orchestra and a member of the Highlanders Junior Steel Orchestra. Her success in Orlando paved the way for Callender and the Lil Angel of Dance school to compete at the International Dance Open in Italy in 2026. The school is now actively seeking support and sponsorship from corporate TT and the public to cover the costs associated with attending. “I am feeling incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent my school and my country, and I am so happy to have done so well. The hard work and commitment to continuous improvement truly paid off. “This was my first solo on an international stage, and it was an amazing experience. We are now focused on Italy, and we are going to bring back home wins for Trinidad and Tobago.” Callender is excited to go to Italy and ready to try the pizza, bread and cheese there. She also plans to do some research on places to visit and other foods to try in Italy.   The post Veronica Callender, dancing her way to the top appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.