Safeeya Pirani, a Mulgrave student from Kindergarten to Grade12, has admirably found a way to connect her passion for dance with community service by starting a non-profit organisation aiming to help people with physical and mental disabilities. Tapping into the skills she learned in dance over the years, Safeeya is now flawlessly translating her experience to a future in journalism. Find out how Safeeya has done it in this week’s Alumni Spotlight!
Q&A
SAFEEYA Pirani
Mulgrave School Class of 2008 | Interviewed by Michelle Noble | March 2015
Hi Safeeya, it’s great to connect with you again. Let’s
opportunity to travel to SDI’s head institute in Bombay,
start off by focussing on one of your biggest
India for five months, where I got to teach, perform in
passions in life – dance. How long have you been
shows, and take part in movie shoots. Eight years later,
dancing for and in what capacity?
my passion for dance is just as strong. I love teaching and I have performed at some amazing local events,
I’ve been dancing since I was nine years old. I used
such as The BC Lions Half Time Show, WE Day, The
to take jazz and hip hop classes, and then eventually
World Police and Fire Games, and The Times of India
I joined Shiamak Davar International (SDI) in 2004. I
Film awards.
started off as a student, and then got the opportunity to audition for a special training group. After being
As a student-dancer at Mulgrave, how did you manage
selected, there was no looking back. In 2007, at the age
to balance your dance commitments with the demands
of 16, I joined the company as a professional instructor
of the IB Programme?
and performer and began teaching Bollywood jazz, yoga, and Bollywood workout classes to students of
It wasn’t always easy balancing school and dance, but
all ages across the Lower Mainland. I also had the
I believe that if there is something you are passionate