NPR

The Next Stage: How Young Venezuelan Artists Continue Their Studies In The U.S.

More than 200,000 Venezuelans have fled to South Florida in recent years. Now, with the help of Miami arts programs, young dancers and musicians are getting scholarships to keep doing what they love.
María Fernanda Papa, 16, wanted to continue the dance education she'd begun back home in Venezuela. She's now enrolled at a school run by Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in North Miami Beach.

María Fernanda Papa was 4 years old when she and her family arrived in Miami. She'd begun dancing back home in Venezuela, and when she and her parents settled in the U.S., she asked if she could continue practicing ballet. Eventually, they found a spot for her in an "amazing school," says María, now 16.

run by the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, is in a strip mall in North Miami Beach. Many of the dancers are Venezuelan. In

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
On 'Here In The Pitch,' Jessica Pratt's Pop Seduces Listeners Into A Los Angeles Noir
The singer-songwriter's fourth album is her best yet, with crisp, commanding songwriting, shades of '60s baroque pop and melodies that seem to have existed forever.
NPR3 min read
Houston Area Braces For Flooding To Worsen Following Storms
A flood watch remained in effect through Sunday afternoon as forecasters predicted additional rainfall Saturday night, bringing another 1 to 3 inches of water to the soaked region.
NPR5 min readInternational Relations
Campus Protests Over The War In Gaza Have Gone International
Students in the U.K., France and Mexico have sought to erect what many of them call "solidarity encampments," prompting a variety of responses from university authorities and local law enforcement.

Related Books & Audiobooks