GLA at the World Champs

Suiyen Smith SmallRecently we welcomed back staff member Suiyen Smith from Hollywood, California where she competed in the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA). In April she competed with several of her students at the national competition where she was selected as part of the national team and during the month of July accompanied Team South Africa to this prestigious competition.

Known as the "Talent Olympics", this competition hosts over 53 countries and 1000 competitors over six disciplines including acting, singing, dancing, instrumental, variety arts and modelling. Miss Smith qualified in the dancing and acting disciplines but pursued only acting.

The competition runs over 11 days and includes master classes with world renowned performers and Hollywood agents as well as 'go-see' opportunities if you are scouted by a Hollywood agent. The competition begins with preliminary rounds where one competes for medal placing. The competition is then drastically narrowed down in
the semi finals, a list of the selected posted early the morning with competition starting at 9am - no time to be nervous. A live broadcast of the finals is then held where only 5% of all the entrants qualify. The final showcase is a prestigious Hollywood production broadcast via wcopa.tv world-wide where industry professionals award scholarships and agents seek new international talent.

The focus on a single discipline reaped rewards for this Jeffreys Bay teacher, who returned to South African soil with no less than five medals (one for every item she entered). She received a gold medal, four silver and one bronze. Her self-written comic monologue also earned her a Champion of the World Division winner age 25-29. On top of this Suiyen received a select gold medal for being chosen as a finalist for the Showcase Finale, one of only three senior actors. Suiyen was placed second in the world in the senior acting division. Her results earned
her a 4-week summer scholarship to the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts.

Her last words, "I would never have had this opportunity without the countless efforts of many individuals. Thank you. I look forward to sowing that which I have learnt into this community."

 Photo below: Team South Africa

Suiyen Smith second from the right in the middle row

 Suiyen Group Web