The Dance and Drama Departments have once again had a busy term.

DanceNZmade Regional Competition

25 KHS Dance students competed in DanceNZmade Interschool Regional Competition on 19th August. It was an amazing day in a brand new theatre with the creative brilliance of our entirely student choreographed dance performances shining! With three teams, four duo/trios and four soloists entering, we were well represented… Ty Oldroyd got 2nd place in 10 Solo section - boy was he impressive! Sophie Lucas entered two very effective choreographies, a Trio and Team, which were performed beautifully by Annie Saunders, Renee Hunter and by Lily Booth, Ty and Grace Hart. Nikki Van Meer & Grace Hart got 1st in 12/13 Duo and Nikki placed first in Yr 13 solo.

Rhearn Le Huray placed 2nd in Yr 11 Solo section, with Janaya Bain placing 3rd. Rhearn was also named one of the four Solo Champions overall and was invited to Nationals. For those of you who know Imke Koekemoer (Kaiapoi girl but attends Unlimited), she won Yr 11 Solo. Nikki Van Meer's jazz group's choreography with her awesome Yr 9 & 10 dancers placed 3rd in Yr 9/10 Team section.

Saki Takao & Aiyana Pitama won 1st place in Yr 9/10 Duo section (beautiful original choreography and such emotive expression), gaining a place in Nationals, with Hikaru Takao & Tessa Moffat placing 3rd.

Paige Columbus took out 1st place in Yr 9/10 Team section with her powerful contemporary choreography, also gaining a place at the Nationals.

Thanks so much to Ms Bidwell for assisting us on the day... Jolly good show Kaiapoi!!!

DanceNZmade National Competition

On 20th September, our Duo and the ‘Crown’ Team and their amazing Yr 13 choreographer, Paige Columbus, travelled to Palmerston North to perform in the DanceNZmade Interschool Nationals, competing against approximately 30 other high schools from across the country. Kaiapoi North School also competed in the Yr 7-8 Team section and Kaiapoi local, Imke Koekemoer competed in the Solo section, gaining 1st place in the 11-13 age group.

Saki Takao and Aiyana Pitama performed their original choreography, ‘Someone You Loved’ and won their Yr 9/10 Duo/Trio section. They were one of the five champions overall (from Yrs 7-13!), placing 2nd out of around 80 entries!

Hikaru Takao, Emily Harris, Tessa Moffat, Saki and Aiyana also performed Paige Columbus’ original choreography ‘Crown’, a striking and sinuous work showing five figures vying for power and dominance. They danced beautifully, with focus and power and didn't miss a beat when the crown broke apart partway through the dance.

This is the third year in a row that Kaiapoi High has represented at DanceNZmade Nationals!  Congratulations to all of our wonderful and committed dancers and choreographers!

In associated happy news… Madison Messervy (who could not attend the DanceNZmade Nationals) competed at the Aerobics Champs in Queenstown on the same day and WON!!! Congratulations Madison!

Levels 2 & 3 Drama Production 

On Thursday 22nd August, our Years 12 & 13 Drama students presented their audience with four different plays, showing four different worlds, interpreted by four different directors. This was a great example of students' collaboration and leadership. In combined year-level classes, we have the wonderful opportunity to allow our more experienced actors to spread their creative wings and take up the challenge of interpreting a play of their choice and directing their drama peers.

Last year, Ben Jarrett was our first Year 13 to accept this challenge, presenting 'Stray' by Ruth McKee with his Year 12 actors. This year Directors Sam Scott, Tamara Lomax, Lara Ellis and I auditioned and cast our Years 12 & 13 actors to star in four different plays and worked with a technical team from Ms Bidwell's Level 2 Sound and Recording class to present an evening mixed with futuristic fears, dark humour, hard-hitting realities and the quest for identity. 'A Number' (Carryl Churchill) takes us to a world where cloning is ordinary and a father must assure 3 different versions of his son that they are all real; 'Poof' (Lynn Nottage) is a fanciful black comedy where an abusive husband disintegrates, 'Henry's Law' (Stacie Lents) shows us how dangerous an unthinking comment on social media can be; and 'Nga Pou Wahine' (Briar Grace Smith) traverses a series of Māori women’s experiences of dealing with love, life and loss.

Court Theatre Trip - ‘The Father’

Levels 1, 2 & 3 Drama attended Court Theatre Matinee of 'The Father' (by Florian Zeller & translated by Christopher Hampdon). Our senior drama students attend at least one live theatre show each year and use their drama knowledge and viewing skills to write about the production in their external exam, as well as referring to a production that they have acted in during the year.

Directed by Simon Bennett, The Father is a profoundly moving and darkly comic masterpiece starring Mark Hadlow (The Hobbit) & Luanne Gordon (Elling). With a ground-breaking script full of twists and turns, this riveting drama combines the realities of dementia with top-shelf theatricality. The story unfolds from the point of view of our protagonist, Andre, as he struggles to piece together his reality in this dark drama that, at times, plays like a thrilling mystery. The subject matter is challenging and the story-line as confusing for the audience as it is for the main character, making it a complex performance to discuss in an essay.

After the curtain-call, we had the opportunity to question the director and actors about the play and to hear their interpretation of the characters and themes. We even had the pleasure of meeting Mr Hadlow in the foyer afterward.