WGC dancers participated in two competitions this term: Impact Dance Experience Nationals and the DanceNZMade regional competition. 

The excitement started on 17 August, when student-led troupe Like a River Runs performed in the senior lyrical category for Impact Dance Experience Nationals at the Lower Hutt Little Theatre. The group has been together since the start of this year, and they qualified for the national competition at the regional event in May. They were the only school team in their category with the rest of the competitors representing dance studios.

Leaders Rosa McGann and Brie Chin choreographed the dance, and the group placed second and won an excellence award in the senior lyrical category, an impressive and well-deserved result. “The competition ran quite late,” said Year 13 student Sophie Blyth, “but all our hard work paid off very well in an exhausting but rewarding night.”

Four days later Like a River Runs was back onstage, along with five other WGC troupes, at the DanceNZMade regional competition. In total nearly 50 of our dancers joined students from schools across the Wellington Region for workshops during the day followed by an evening competition performance at the Lower Hutt Town Hall.

In the Year 9 and 10 division Bad Romance, choreographed by Niamh Whiteridge was first runner up and I Don’t Want to be You, choreographed by Brie Chin and Rosa McGann was named Champion and a national qualifier.

Every Sunday, choreographed by Isla Easton Smith, and Like a River Runs both competed in the Year 11-13 division, and Like a River Runs continued their triumphant week with a 10/10 choreography award, being named Champion and a national qualifier, and coming 3rd runner up overall troupe for the Wellington Region. 

In the Open division Runway Run, choreographed by Kate Honey and Blessing Ndambuki, and Nova, choreographed by Caitlin Peez, were also strong contenders, and Year 9 student Isla Bartlett received a Golden Ticket for her strive for awesomeness during the day. Congratulations to all the dancers at both competitions who have worked so hard this term.