Dancing Her Way to the Top
Showcasing her skills on the national stage, Malaya Hinks has been busy tapping her way up the ranks in the dance world. Supported by MDC’s Representative Fund, Malaya presented to Council on Wednesday, sharing her experience at the New Zealand Young Performers Awards in October 2025.
Year 12 student at Feilding High School, Malaya Hinks, has been a passionate dancer since she was five years old. Following an impressive performance at a regional dance competition in Palmerston North, Malaya was nominated by the Manawatū Performing Arts Society to compete at the New Zealand Young Performers Awards. Hosted in Palmerston North by the Performing Arts Competitions Association of New Zealand (PACANZ), the event featured 125 nominated solo artists in the modern dance section. Malaya performed in group one as competitor number 18. While the section style changes each year, ranging from ballet and lyrical to jazz or tap, this year’s focus was modern, and Malaya chose to present a lyrical performance.
Malaya shared with Council that her favourite part of the experience was the masterclass workshop. Surrounded by “amazingly talented people with different takes on dance genres”, she received feedback from professionals who observed her technical skills and offered guidance on adaptability and performance. She said the tips and tricks were invaluable, and she embraced the opportunity to improve at something she’s so passionate about. The future is bright for Malaya, as in April she will travel to New York for a dance tour, performing at Disneyland in Orlando and at the Statue of Liberty - representing the Manawatū District on the world stage.
Council was very impressed by Malaya’s presentation, highlighting her fantastic achievements as she continues to reach new milestones. MDC is proud to have supported Malaya through the Representative Fund, as Mayor Ford reiterated to her, “it was a pleasure to help in a small way”.
The Representative Fund is part of Manawatū District Council’s community toolkit, supporting individuals or teams who represent the Manawatū District nationally or internationally. Minimising financial barriers, the fund supports residents who take part in cultural, recreational, and learning opportunities. To learn more about the Representative Fund, please visit MDC’s website: Representative Fund - Closed for 2025/26 Applications | Manawatū District Council