Be Your Dream and Just You Model and Artist Management issued a public announcement earlier this year about two NYFA bursaries up for grabs!
The Management Team at Be Your Dream and Just You Model and Artist Management issued a public announcement earlier this year, which was both exciting and an amazing opportunity for talented South Africans who wish to study abroad, but who are unable to. After visiting the Be Your Dream studios in 2014 and seeing the inspirational work that the organisation is doing in the lives of the youth in South Africa, the New York Film Academy issued two bursaries that are now enabling two talented underprivileged South Africans to study in New York.
Auditions took place at 10 chosen schools throughout SA as well as at the SunCares Arts Academy as part of Tsogo Sun’s Corporate Social Investment Programme. The audition process was headed by Elsubie Verlinden, Director of Just You Model and Artist Management and Exclusive agent for the New York Film Academy in South African as well as by Anais, Owner of the Be Your Dream and National Ambassador for Lifeline. Elsubie introduced the New York Film Academy to Be Your Dream.
40 contestants went through to the finals, which took place at Tsogo Sun’s Silverstar Casino at a prestigious event on 16 May 2015. Blake Babbitt (Founder of 383 Productions and Director of Performing Arts Admissions at the New York Film Academy) himself attended to assist with the judging of the finals. During the finals Propser Mtimkulu (from The Hills in the South of Johannesburg) and Kayla de Araujo (from Alberton – High School Marais Viljoen)were awarded full bursaries to study at the New York Film Academy.
These bursaries were awarded via the Be Your Dream project and have been made possible courtesy of the New York Film Academy. The Be Your Dream team is very proud and excited to have been given the opportunity to make two underprivileged, talented South African’s dreams come true on an international level. Be Your Dream assisted in the project by providing flight tickets and accommodation for the winners for the duration of their studies at the New York Film Academy.
Anaïs, founder of the Be Your Dream Project, has a weekly Actuality program on KykNET MUSIEK, which is currently being aired in “Kooptyd” on channel 146 on Sundays. The show’s time slot is from 15:00 – 16:00 (prime time). Owing to Be Your Dream’s strong following within the youth, families and businesses the show has become quite popular. In addition, Be Your Dream have filmed the auditions at the schools and the finals and a section of the winners in New York at the New York Film Academy, to be aired on the Be Your Dream Television Show. The collaboration of Anaïs from Be Your Dream, Elsubie Verlinden from Just You Model and Artist Management, and Blake Babbitt from 383 Productions and the New York Film Academy are making two people’s dreams come true. It is a motivating and moving story.
The two students that were awarded these bursaries and arrived in New York this week are:
Acting: Prosper Mtimkulu
Singing / Musical Theatre: Kayla de Araujo
They started their courses and will be in New York until 25 July 2015.
Check out this blog article by the New York Film Academy: https://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/nyfa-awards-scholarships-to-be-your-dream-performers/
source artlink.co.za