A local woman has been invited by a world-renowned ballet school in New York to join their ranks as a student to attain an international qualification as a dancer and teacher.
Amani Wiriyanjara grew up on the stages of the Byron Shire and after a recent audition-workshop on the Gold Coast, she’s been accepted into the prestigious New York Joffrey Ballet School, but as you can imagine, tuition and accommodation don’t come cheap and Ms Wiriyanjara is hoping the community that has nurtured her thus far, can help her dreams come true.
Born in Mullumbimby and surrounded by the vibrant, creative community of the Byron Shire, Wiriyanjara has been a constant fixture in dance and circus – you may have seen her on stage with Byron Ballet, Spaghetti Circus, Shearwater Wearable Arts and ensembles, and in musical theatre with Byron Bay Singing. Her performances are always a stand out.
Life changing
The invitation from Joffrey is a life-changing step – one that places Wiriyanjara on a global stage and opens the door to a professional career in the performing arts.
But opportunities like this come with significant financial cost. Tuition and board are around US$55,000 a year for the four-year degree program.
Amani’s mother, Sapphire Rochelle says that as a community-raised artist, Amani’s journey has never been hers alone. ‘It has been shaped by teachers, mentors, friends, and the wider village that has supported her along the way. Now, we’re asking for that village to come together once more.’
Wiriyanjara is very excited at the prospect of studying at Joffrey.
When asked about why this is such a great opportunity, she said, ‘Because it takes me out into the world. And New York is such a big place. It’s kind of like the hub of the world of all of the arts, like performing arts’.
‘This is such a great opportunity because it takes me out into the world, away from this little Shire. New York is such a big place. It’s kind of like the hub of the world of all of the performing arts.’
‘This is an important step in my career. It’s my all-time dream to be able to perform on stages around the world, and get paid to travel the world performing. The stage is my happy place.’
You can support Amani’s dream by donating on her GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/23792fcbd.
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