Whitney deLisser-Fausnaught nurtures youth through dance, horseback riding
Published:Wednesday | April 2, 2025 | 12:09 AMAshley Anguin/ Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU
RETURNING RESIDENT Whitney deLisser-Fausnaught has been busy focusing her energy in helping the youth in western Jamaica through her lifelong dream of a dance studio and teaching horseback riding. The 33-year-old, mother of two, is a seasoned expert in training and development with a career spanning multiple industries.
“The Jam Dance Studio which was opened last year, is an area designed to inspire creativity and build confidence in young minds. It came about as a passion project. The dream for me has always been to work with children some way or another,” deLisser-Fausnaught, who opened the studio located at the Half Moon Shopping Village with her business partner Anley Martinez Castro, told The Gleaner.
Jam Dance offers classes six days a week, covering a variety of dance genres, including modern dance; traditional ballet; and mixed-gender martial arts, like karate. They have also partnered with Nila’s Academy in Kingston, which offers rhythmic gymnastics and dance.
The programme welcomes children as young as two years old and also caters to teens and adults.
Extracurricular activities play a crucial role in the development of young people, according to deLisser-Fausnaught. She believes it fosters self-confidence, social skills, and allows them to step out of their comfort zone.
“When working with children, the important thing to remember is, any development is a win for all of us. Our focus is on social interaction and development,” she added.
Passionate about horseback riding, she teaches classes six days a week at the Half Moon Equestrian Centre.
“Me teaching it, is like me falling in love all over again working with children. I started just teaching my daughter and her friend on a Saturday morning, and it mushroomed to more than 20 children every Saturday morning.”
She went on, “I want to create an enriching and supportive environment for personal growth. I think watching children grow into their potential is something that is so exciting, particularly when you are horseback riding or performing. “
The separate entities do not offer formal scholarships, but are open to community support for those who cannot afford classes.
“It is important for us that those who may not be able to afford it still have access. We certainly have interested foundations who would like to sponsor scholarships. At the moment, we are really trying to develop the programme at Jam Dance. We do have one or two students who don’t pay the top rate because they are unable to; and [with] horseback riding, it’s the same thing,” deLisser-Fausnaught explained.
Her passion extends beyond teaching, as she believes every child should have the opportunity to experience something new. “We have not really raised prices over the last few years, because it is important that every child has an opportunity to experience new things,” she shared. “We are actually doing a collection for the Mervis Braham Children’s Home in Montego Bay and hope to invite them to the stables to experience pony riding and receive the package we have for them.”
According to deLisser-Fausnaught, she and her family initially intended to stay in Jamaica for only a short period when they returned during COVID-19 in 2021, but things changed.
“Three months is now three years and the children are both in school. We are here and it feels like the right thing,” she said. “I came back to my homeland and wanted to give my children a Jamaican childhood.”
Having spent over a decade achieving educational and professional milestones across the UK, Europe, and the United States, deLisser-Fausnaught brings a wealth of experience to her work. In the future, she envisions that students of the Jam Dance Studio will participate in international events and advance in their disciplines.
“We will have a summer showcase, [with] end-of-year dances and hopefully, next year we hope to enter a few pieces at the JCDC [Competition],” she said. “Also, we want to advance our young men and women in karate, from beginner to the other level.”