Unitec & Beijing Dance Academy Forge Stronger Academic Ties

Unitec & Beijing Dance Academy Forge Stronger Academic Ties

Beijing, 16 October 2014 - Unitec and the Beijing Dance Academy is celebrating the signing of a new agreement to develop a joint undergraduate creative dance programme to be delivered from 2015.

On 14 October at the 60th Anniversary of the Beijing Dance Academy, Unitec Chief Executive Rick Ede signed an agreement with Beijing Dance Academy President Guo Lei, to develop and deliver a new joint undergraduate creative dance programme as well as renewing their long-standing collaborative agreement of academic and staff exchanges.

Beijing Dance Academy is a respected world leader in dance education and has produced many of China's leading dancers and teachers.

The first intake of Chinese students will be enrolled from 2015, which will see the students study at Beijing Dance Academy for 2.5 years and Unitec for 1.5 years.

To celebrate the occasion, Unitec presented Between Two Fires, two works choreographed by renowned Kiwi choreographer and Unitec dance lecturer, Michael Parmenter. One of the pieces commissioned by the New Zealand Dance Company was kindly gifted to Unitec and the Beijing Dance Academy. The world premiere of the work was performed by Unitec students, Josie Archer, Adam Naughton, Xin Ji and Chris Ofanoa, to a rapturous reception at the International Dance Showcase, held as part of the Beijing Dance Academy's 60th Anniversary celebrations.

Ede says: "We are delighted to be able to forge further ahead with the Beijing Dance Academy with our dance programme collaboration to bring our distinct creative flair to innovate Beijing Dance Academy's disciplined rigor". Both Ede and Alex Lee, Unitec's Head of the Department of Performing and Screen Arts spoke at the Beijing Dance Academy's International Forum for Presidents and Professors.

ENDS

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