Nurturing Race Relaions With Viva Eclectika

Nurturing Race Relaions With Viva Eclectika

New Zealand Asia Association (NZAA) Inc
Patron: The Right Reverend Sir Paul Reeves

17th August 2009

Media Release
For Immediate Release

In conjunction with Human Rights Commission’s Diversity Forum which will be held in Wellington 23 – 24 August this year; Viva Eclectika is the only project based in Auckland. This is the 10th year since this biennial project was launched.

“Viva Eclectika strives to nurture positive race relations by having dancers from one culture perform with friends from a distinctively different culture/s”, says Vivian Chow, Chairperson of New Zealand Asia Association (NZAA) Inc. “It helps to promote unity, goodwill, understanding and positive race relations. Dancers speak with their hearts. There are no language barriers. It is not about one group presenting their own ethnic dance. It is about them meeting up with people from another culture to dialogue, deliberate and dance together.”

“This stretches the community involved to reach out beyond their comfort zone with the spirit of goodwill and positivity; Dancers are challenged to speak the Art and the Language of Intercultural Friendship through Dance and Music” says Chow. “I believe that if more people can dance together, there will be less people who will fight with each other. It’s their coming together that is the challenge. Their dance encapsulates their positives and new possibilities. This needs to be encouraged in the community.”

This year we have competitors ranging from the AUT University Bachelor of Dance students to Mt Roskill Grammar, Macleans College and community dancers which include the Candomblack Uruguay performers fusing with new found Chinese friends. There are also the Filipino indigenous Igorot trying to woo a New Zealand Love.

“In addition, there are guest performances by dancers from the New Zealand Chinese Association (Auckland Branch), Raymond Alefosio (Auckland’s Michael Jackson) and Andrew Cesan and Simon Watts from TMC, runners-up in New Zealand’s Got Talent 2009, participants in the World Hip Hop at Las Vegas 2009, and guest of the European Tap Dance Festival 2010,” says Chow.

Prizes are $1000 and the Viva Eclectika Cup; $600; $300 and the Asia Vision Cup for the best fusion item incorporating an Asian aspect.

Viva Eclectika 2009 Intercultural Dance and Music Challenge will be held at 7pm on Saturday, 22 August, at the Dorothy Winstone Theatre, Auckland Girls’ Grammar School, Howe St, Auckland

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