Ambition and dedication truly paid off for Year 11 and Year 7 siblings, Sofija and Emi Tulum, who recently showcased their talents at the prestigious Vienna Stars International Dance Festival. Alongside their Serbian folk dance group, Avala, who are based at Corby Rockingham church, they embarked on a journey that was more than an education.

The festival brought together dance groups from various countries, celebrating and competing in the art of folklore, music, and singing. Avala's participation marked their first international festival, where they were excited to share their performances and cultural heritage.

Emi, performing with the younger group, achieved an impressive victory, securing first place in their age category, earning them well-deserved recognition from the judges.

Sofija and Emi both performed in the older group, and their exceptional performance not only won them first place in the category, but the Avala folk group were the overall winners of the whole competition across all the categories and were awarded the ‘Grand Prix’, which is the most prestigious and highest award of the festival.

Sofija said, ‘It was an amazing opportunity to be able to take part in and represent our culture and to be awarded the ‘Grand Prix’ trophy. It was great to meet dancers from different cultures and everyone who went on the trip was also able to spend some time sightseeing in Vienna, which is a beautiful place. It will be an experience that I will never forget!’

Congratulations to Sofija, Emi, and the entire Avala dance group for their incredible achievements at the Vienna Stars International Dance Festival. Their journey exemplifies that education is more than just academics—it's about pursuing passions, embracing opportunities, and creating lifelong memories.