Nur Farah Amirah Frauder

A Memorable Dance Journey
“Dance has allowed me to build up my character and discover what I am capable of. I am encouraged to try new things and not to be afraid of making mistakes.” “… building upon the strong foundation Wellington has laid for me, I am proud to have been part of the dance team which has achieved the first Distinction Award for my school (secondary) since it was founded over 60 years ago.”

Dance has been one of my many passions since I was very young. I started dancing at the age of three, when my mother enrolled me in a ballet class. I went for my first ballet recital at the age of four and discovered that I love to perform.

When I was in Primary One, I was part of Wellington Chinese Dance Club and I took part in the 2008 Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Central Judging, being the youngest dancer ever in the competition. Since then, I have never stopped dancing, taking part in various school and public events. On the three occasions I took part in the SYF, my team mates and I did Wellington proud with our Gold, Gold with Honours and Distinction Awards respectively, improving on our skills and performance each time we performed.

Dance in Wellington Primary has also exposed me to a wide variety of opportunities. In 2011, the different CCA Dance groups were selected to be part of the Student Ambassador Programme (Sap) for Dance to Hong Kong and China to perform with Hong Kong local celebrity, Nancy Sit, on television. It was a great experience as I was able to meet many people from various countries and experience what it was like to be behind the scenes for a live TV show. During the trip, I met and was really inspired by a group of eight girls from Hong Kong who had been together as a dance group since they were six. Their performance inspired me to pursue my dreams with the same determination and resilience they displayed, and we formed a very close friendship. I remember crying when we had to part ways!

In 2013, I was fortunate to be selected to play host for a 4-day homestay for four students from Awakeri School, New Zealand as part of Wellington Friends4Life Programme. It was such a great experience as I practiced my leadership and communication skills from my dance and Student Council experience to lead them in knowing our Singapore story, history and culture better. The learning journey I organised for them to the Singapore Flyer and other places of interest and off the beaten track on public transport, provided them with the first-hand experience of what being ‘locals’ are like. By the end of the programme, we had forged such close friendships that till date, we are still in touch via emails and social media. The experience I have had visiting them as part of Wellington Sap to New Zealand was as amazing that I even made more friends when I visited the school and had a farm stay with one of the families. Just like me, I met many others with the same passion in dance at the school. 

My dance journey in Wellington has been a memorable one. Along the way, I have picked up life-long learning skills from my teachers, instructors and friends. The motivation and perseverance I have developed have helped me to be forward-looking in whatever I do, and let me believe that I can overcome all obstacles in my way. In my final year in Wellington, I was honoured to be awarded the Glitz Award, for my outstanding achievements in the performing arts. While continuing to pursue my passion in dance in secondary school, building upon the strong foundation Wellington has laid for me, I am proud to have been part of the dance team which has achieved the first Distinction Award for my school since it was founded over 60 years ago.

Dance has allowed me to build up my character and discover what I am capable of. I am encouraged to try new things and not to be afraid of making mistakes. I believe that dance is able to unite people. This came true when I was selected to be part of the group of 8 former Wellingtonians performing a dance we choreographed ourselves during Wellington’s 15th Anniversary “Dare to Dream” celebration.

Thank you Wellington, for sparking the passion for dance in me, and providing me with so many platforms for me to succeed!