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Dance News

Kate Hamilton —

It has been a busy start to the year in the Dance Department.

Royal New Zealand Ballet - The Autumn Ball - zoom workshop in class at KHS

On Thursday 17th March our Senior Dance class had a wonderful online workshop with Jamie Delmonte, learning repertoire from 'The Autumn Ball' by Sarah Foster-Sproull. This show is expected to tour later in the year (it has been postponed twice). The contemporary ballet choreography was expressive and challenging for our dancers, particularly considering we were working from afar with a projected tutor, and those of us that are not ballet trained found it to be a fun way to learn and practise ballet technique. We will also (hopefully) attend Swan Lake in May and Cinderella Matinee in August at the Isaac Theatre Royal with live RNZB Workshops the day before!!!

"As the autumn leaves begin to settle, and the sun sets a little earlier, the cycle of life becomes apparent. Beginning pre-birth the dance starts in the midst of human potential, where bodies tumble like autumn leaves. We then move to the development of personality, ego, and relationships. Full of confidence, we arrive at The Autumn Ball, a playful interlude before the labour of the working years winds down. Finally, we settle into contemplation and enjoyment as we appreciate those around us and let the tensions of a full working life float away, to merge back into the potential from where we began."
The Autumn Ball. Choreography: Sarah Foster-Sproull 

DanceNZmade Regionals 2022!

This wonderful event will be taking place across NZ despite COVID again in 2022. Dean McKerras, the founder and organiser, has worked tirelessly to ensure its go-ahead by preparing the tutors and judges to travel to individual schools to teach dance workshops and view students performing their solo, duo, and group choreographies if we are unable to meet en masse in our regions.

Kaiapoi High School already has two teams (Alliance led by Sophie Lucas and a years 9-11 team led by Sophia Joyce), a duo and trio, and three soloists choreographing their dances in preparation for the competition in August.