In 1997, a young Trinidadian who found joy and inspiration from dance decided to open a dance studio to help girls experience that same pleasure. From the age of three, she fluttered around every space she found.
Today, Candice Nasha Clarke has three studios in her name – one in her native Trinidad and Tobago and two in the United States.
Clarke has also reached an important milestone.
She became certified to spot and select young talent in the performing arts.
Clarke said it wasn’t always easy, both personally and professionally, but she never gave up hope, believing her creativity would impress the world in different ways.
The mother of two, Chelsea and Christon, said she realised from a very young age that dance is more than movement. It is healing, confidence and hope.
Clarke said: “I am a woman of faith who gives Almighty God first place in my journey. I draw inspiration from Psalm 149:3: ‘Let them praise his name in the dance,’ and am guided by the motto, Passion for Excellence, and credo, Dance with a Cause.”
Clarke continues to heal, has built a level of resilience like never before, and continues to hope for greater things for both herself and the academy.
At the beginning of September, she introduced the academy’s first elite mentorship class by way of the Professional Dance Company (PDC), where not only are her elite dancers on the market, but are also trainers, and quite recently, she was officially licensed by Worldstars USA to perform a distinguished duty.
Worldstars USA is the US division and recruitment team associated with the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA), often referred to as the Talent Olympics, which scouts and sends performers, singers, dancers, models and actors from the US and globally to international showcases.
On November 8, Clarke became certified to select a talented team of delegates to represent the US at the WCOPA in Las Vegas, Nevada, scheduled for July 11-20, 2027. The certificate authenticated by Worldstars president Danielle Janco.
An internationally award-winning choreographer, dance educator, producer, artistic director and performing arts leader with over 27 years of experience in the industry, Clarke is the founder and artistic director of the Candice Clarke Academy of Dance (CCAD), established in T&T in 1997, with studios in Chaguanas, Queens, New York, and Roselle, New Jersey.
She’s also the creator and trademark holder of CREOLA Artistic Folk – a distinctive fusion of dance styles and techniques infused with Caribbean flair.
Clarke has 27-plus major productions and 400-plus original choreographic works to her credit, and has produced and directed international productions at prestigious venues across the United States and the Caribbean.
She is also a two-time Choreographer of the Year awardee (2019, 2023).
Clarke’s WCOPA journey includes serving as national director for T&T, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
In 2022, she played a significant leadership role in helping T&T achieve its historic first Junior Grand Champion Performer of the World, while CCAD earned the title of Junior Champion Dance Group of the World.
