SPOTLIGHT ON THE PERFORMING ARTS: In the Arts curriculum, flexible student-centred learning embraces the four Cs of 21st Century Learning (collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking). This enables our students opportunities to explore, challenge and innovate so they may thrive now and move forward with confidence.

Learning how to be a part of a team—how to lead, how to follow, how to support, how to communicate—is at the heart of everything our dance troupes do here at Tauranga Girls' College.

We know these are skills our students will benefit from for their whole lives, whether they choose to pursue dance long-term or not.

Our three extra curricular dance troupes; Jazz, Contemporary, and Hip Hop are student-led and rehearse outside of the classroom, during lunchtimes, before school and after school hours.

I love being a part of the TGC dance troupes as they are super inclusive and heaps of fun! (Ayva McOnie, Year 11 Contemporary Dance Troupe member)

Throughout term one leadership and teamwork skills were put to the test.

Our senior students have the opportunity to grow personally through this experience of leading a team and applying creativity and communication skills but also grow the capacity of others by role modelling and enabling others to experience new ways of moving and working together.

Leading the TGC Jazz Troupe alongside Jemma has not only improved my confidence and creativity in choreography, it has been awesome to get to work with girls from all year groups with the same passion as me and also growing my leadership skills. This troupe has definitely helped my organisation and communication skills as I needed to prepare new choreography each week or plan something to work on. The skills I have developed in leading Dance troupe has also helped me in my prefect role as Performing Arts prefect working with the other arts prefects as well as my sub committee. (Grace Gill, Jazz Troupe Leader)

Performing a group dance work requires skills such as communication, ensemble awareness, and timing. Students learn how to dance as a team rather than an individual. They build on each other's strengths and work together to support each other perfecting movements and timing to ensure they work collectively.

“When working together as a team rather than individuals, you grow bigger bonds between each other and connect with people who you might have not met before. Dancing as a team brings you closer and becomes your own little family” (Taimana Randall, Year 10, Hip Hop & Jazz Troupe member)

There are also significant soft skills our students learn being involved in troupes. Working with different personalities and year levels they learn to navigate any conflict that arises, work together to lift each other up, build friendships and offer encouragement and words of advice.

"Being involved in dance troupe not only helps me improve my dance it helps me to gain friendships with other year groups" (Briar Grace, Year 9 Jazz Dance Troupe member)

Being part of a team is something every person has to do in their life—over and over again, with different personalities and ideas. We love that we have the opportunity to provide our students with the skills and knowledge of what it means to work in a team.