Fiji’s pioneer dance academy, the Conservatorium of Dance, achieved an artistic milestone yesterday with the graduation of the first group of professional dancers.
Through its collaboration with the University of Auckland, the school celebrated the achievements of 17 students who graduated with a Fiji Conservatorium of Dance Diploma.
Conservatorium director Sachiko Soro said the graduates would be ready to work in any professional dance environment once given the chance.
“Over the years we have been fortunate to have the guidance and mentorship of the Dance Department of the University of Auckland and it took us two years to develop this curriculum,” she said.
“We did it with a Fiji-specific point of view meaning that the content of the curriculum is designed for the employment market that is operating within Fiji.”
Mrs Soro said the diversity of skills the dancers had acquired through the course made them valuable employees in companies both locally and internationally.
“This is all to ensure that the graduates from this program are able to serve our country and develop the creative industries to the next level and so that the graduates can start companies of their own or work in a wide variety of professional dance fields.”
Valedictorian Navitalai Waqavotuwale said the students were grateful for the opportunity given the COVID-19 challenge.
