Philipsburg:--- Creative Arts teacher Clara Reyes of the Imbali Dance School is still motivated and determined to continue with her dance classes despite being robbed. Reyes in an interview with SMN News said that the John Larmonie Center was robbed early Sunday morning. The thieves she said removed almost everything from the building leaving the Imbali Dance School, the Senior Citizens Home Away from Home and the Motiance Dance School naked.Reyes said the bandits must have used a dump truck to conduct the robbery because huge equipments such as speakers were taken. Reyes said Imbali suffered the greatest loss since the thieves went with all their electronic equipments which includes video cameras, televisions and DVD players. She said they lost everything that she has to use for her students. The Senior Citizens she said lost flat screen televisions, hot plates, and water coolers while the John Larmonie Center lost their weed-whacker.
Despite the robbery, several students showed up on Monday to continue their classes, while on Wednesday some 25 students participated in the Creative Movement. Reyes said everyone brought out their own equipments so that they can continue with their classes.
Imbali she said will be organizing a fundraising event to purchase new materials.
Reyes said she reported the robbery to the police department. She said the forensic and other departments processed the crime scene shortly after they were called.
However, the Police Department is yet to announce the robbery of the John Larmonie Center.
In a press release, Reyes said "No one can stop the music or the dance, in spite of the thieves robbing and leaving Imbali Dance school incapacitated, Imbali dance school still managed to dance on Wednesday morning. Some 25 students from Imbali Center showed up to a dance work shop with world renowned master teacher Malalthi Iyengar. The Imbali dance students will undergo four days of intense dance training in the traditions of Bharatanatyam, Reyes said. Malalthi Iyengar flew into St. Maarten on Tuesday night from Los Angeles. She is the guest of teacher Aparna Samaga, who brought the traditions of classical Indian dance to St. Maarten four years ago. Iyengar has donated her time while on vacation here to conduct workshops.