Page 29 - Fiji Traveller Issue 2

are excited about the opportunities the event will provide.
Following the Fiji event, Ali says she will have a better
sense of the calibre of artists, and how she can pitch
them to international markets. She will be heading off
to the Adelaide Fringe Festival to promote Fijian acts
for festivals not only in Australia, but also other fringe
festivals all over the world. She is also keen to see how
local artists might be able to access funding.
Ali is an artist herself, performing as a dancer with
the Vou company and at international events. But she
is now an entrepreneur, and hopes another longer-term
outcome of the Fiji Fringe Festival will be upskilling of
young Fijians who work on the event in areas such as
arts administration.
“They have many, many, many courses available,
especially in Australia and New Zealand to do with the arts.
There's festival direction, there's production. And I hope
that we can somehow facilitate that upskilling.” Sharleen Ali
Photos: Rob Rickman. H&M by Wedding Hair/Makeup Perfectionist Fiji. Costume & Styling by Ash Phaneuf.
Festival highlights

Etta Gonerogo on March 4. VT1S (pronounced Viti Ones), a platform set
Popular Fiji vocalist, Etta Gonerogo (left) has planned an up by music label VTBOP music to showcase young artists,
epic three-hour show for the Fiji Fringe Festival, complete has spawned songs like ‘Ika’ which is sweeping local TikTok,
with a band and backing vocalists. ‘Saiva Ciwa’, and ‘Yalayala’, to name just a few.
The performance will include her original songs, cover
songs, Hindi songs, recent hits, and old favourites. Etta VOU
will also feature ‘The West Fiji’ or Suliasi Uluilakeba, "The nature of the fringe festival allows artists to be
whose famous song “Kere Vude” swept social media, unbound by the expectation of a funding second party,
guaranteeing a full dance floor when they take to the stage affording them the liberty to create and present work that is
on February 25th. a more honest reflection of their practice," says VOU Artistic
Director, Navi Fong.
VT1S VOU is bringing the heat from the burning west to Suva at
“If you think you will come in expecting to be seated, we the Fiji Fringe with a blend of multiple performance styles to
guarantee you will be burning the dance floor. challenge their own craft and use the fringe festival platform
That’s the promise of VT1S band manager, Tikiko to explore the undoing of different categories and genres.
Korocowiri, ahead of the band’s Fiji Fringe Festival show
For details of the full program and how to buy tickets, visit fijitraveller.com

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