She has been the power behind the National School of Dance (NSD) and the National Dance Company (NDC) for the last 20 years and even though she plans to put away her dancing shoes, she would gladly continue for another 20 years because of her love for children.

Linda Griffith has been Director of the NSD and the NDC since 1986. And when The Scene had an opportunity to see her in action with children in the National Park-based NSD, none of whom are older than seven years old, it was easy to understand why she has been at these entities for so long.

"Point those toes, no that is not pointed, come on…" she says as she moves to the child who is experiencing difficulties and squats down to point her feet in the direction they should go.

The rapport between teacher and children is obvious. Even as she teaches them, she keeps up a lively conversation with them. It really is a real sight for sore eyes to watch the little girls decked out in leotards and tights prancing around and enjoying themselves. We see where Linda gets her joy, but we know that it cannot always be that rosy.

Linda agrees with the conclusion that she is the power behind the two entities, but adds that she has a "great" team of instructors, which makes it almost smooth sailing for her.

Linda has been associated with the NSD since it came into existence in 1974 and is a founding member of the NDC, which followed in 1979.

So what drives this woman to remain in this position after all these years even though she admits that it more than encroaches on her personal life and sometimes leaves no breathing space?

She told The Scene recently that her motivation to remain steadfast is the children. "I have such a love for children that I think it is a gift from God. I like imparting my knowledge to the children and watching them grow, it makes me happy to know that I have made an impact in their lives," she said with a smile on her face.

It is hard to believe that this woman, who is very petite in stature, could have kept the school and company going but as she quickly stated, she loves dancing and she is one of the lucky persons who managed to pursue a career in something she really loves.

"My joy is working with groups that are new; you can move them from nothing to something. It keeps me going, giving them the knowledge and watching them develop."

Linda has two children of her own, so her love for her charges comes as no surprise. Fittingly, she is also a trained teacher and once worked as a physical education teacher.

Physical education was her initial area of study because at one time she was a champion athlete.

During her years as an athlete she specialised in long distance running and table tennis. Shortly after she had started teaching she went off on a three months gymnastic training course and she was just past her seventeenth year when she became associated with the NSD in 1974. She began working as a trainee dance teacher along with Pamela Williams and Madame Lavinia Williams, who was born in the US, but who had adopted Haiti as her second home. Lavinia Williams was the first director of the school.

Linda began teaching full time at the school after Madame Williams left but even as she taught she performed in several areas of the country with a select group of dancers and singers.

She was athletic, she said, because when she was a child her father, Henry Griffith, was Guyana's champion walker. She recalls getting out of bed early every morning, from the tender age of four, sometimes as early as 4 am, and going walking with her father. Linda's father was also a ballroom dancer and he would place his daughter on his feet and teach her some of the steps. Up to today she recalls some of them.

While Linda was one of nine children she said she was the only child who took athletics seriously and later dancing. She recalled when she first started out at the school Madame Williams could not have believed that she had no formal training in the area and she commented, "Girl you use to dance in this life before."

She told The Scene that dancing was her major calling and during the years she spent with physical education she knew that one day she would taking up dancing as a career. She admitted that over the years many obstacles were thrown her way but it was her determination and that of those around her that kept the ship sailing.

But it is not determination alone, there is a joy that she feels when she sees her students move up into the different categories of the school and doing extremely well. She said while the dance company has people joining who would not have gone through the school system it is those who would have been through the school that remain in the company for years and keep it going.

Linda recalled that at one time when the NSD and the NDC were under the Ministry of Education they taught teachers to dance and that gave her an extra joy because she knew more children would have benefited, since the teachers would have gone back to the schools and taught them. However, when the NSD and the NDC became part of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport that aspect was abolished and Griffith said it made her very sad.

However, the school still does outreach programmes and the dance instructor would visit different areas and train persons who would then go on to become instructors themselves.

A normal day for Linda sees her getting into work just around 8 am; this is the time she uses to dig into administrative work, preparing project performances and working along with her team of instructors to keep the two entities going. But she ensures that by 4 pm she is free since she has to teach her children. She admitted that as the director she is really not required to do any teaching but she does it year in year out because she loves to impart her knowledge, pointing out that there is so much you can teach an individual through dance.

And then there is the other part; she has to become a mentor for so many children who see her as more than just their dance instructor. Even as she was being interviewed they snuck up to her and attempted to tell her their problems. She gently told them to wait a little while longer.

"You don't look too well at all this afternoon," she tells one of them. She said her day is not complete if she does not teach and sometimes she has to seriously "juggle" her schedule to get in some teaching in the afternoons. "The monetary gains would never compare to the joy I derive from teaching," she said and we know there is not much monetary gain for her since she is a public servant. There are some 400 students enrolled in the school at present and just six instructors but the students are divided into classes and they do not all attend on the same days.

She admits that being at the school has over the years impacted on her home life but because her children are adults now - her daughter is a member of the dance company - she has some more time. And her husband has been of tremendous support over the years; filling in for her on many occasions over the past 22 years since he became part of her life.

Linda has been part of every Carifesta since it came into existence and she said it gives her an opportunity to catch up with her friends from other countries and they would discuss their achievements and what more they need to do. She has performed in countries such as Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, St Lucia, Cuba, Suriname and Canada.

But other than Carifesta, Linda said neither the school nor the company has been able to travel oversees because of the lack of funding as according to her the business community does not view art the same way it views sport.

But all good things must come to an end and one day soon Linda will retire her dancing shoes.

She laughs when asked for a specific date and just said, "very soon." She wants to focus on another passion for hers, painting. "I have not picked up a brush in years and I want to do some painting. I also want to open a business and start making some real money," she said. She also wants to continue her studies, she has a certificate in music from the University of Guyana, and wants to explore doing further studies in the area of dance.

In 1990 she was given the opportunity to attend the America Dance Festival where she performed and also taught master classes to adults and children at the Duke University and in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

She has received a Medal of Service for her sterling contribution in the area.

And while she would be sad when the day for leaving comes, she is satisfied with what she has achieved and is quite happy for someone else to take up the mantle and pour new blood into the school and company.

samantha_alleyne2000@yahoo.com