It has been a huge couple of weeks for our dance department between their annual dance camp, DanceNZMade and most recently, the much anticipated ASPIRE Dance Showcase.
The annual dance camp was a great couple of days out at Sir Don Rowlands venue at Lake Karapiro for our students. This year, we welcomed Holly Finch and Greer Ritchie to camp. Both trained professionally in Australia and have since danced on cruise ships, in shows and taught throughout the Auckland community. For the first time, the Year 9 dance students were invited to partake in a sessions with the older students.
Last weekend at DanceNZMade, troupes, solos and duos competed against other dancers from around the Waikato in a range of divisions. The dancers have been working hard all year on their performances, and it really showed on the stage, and in the results.
Our troupe performances included an upbeat number from the Year 7-9 group, Eclipse, while the senior dance troupe, Mosaic, brought the house down with their Moulin Rouge-inspired number. The hip-hop troupe, Vortex, tutored by Miriana Wetere-Ryder, showed the crowd what Gnarly! really means with their powerful, high-energy routine.
The solo and duo performances highlighted the individual talent of our students with dances from Year 8 through to Year13 students taking to the stage. Results from DanceNZMade can be found below.
Following on from the success of DanceNZMade, the annual ASPIRE Dance showcase allowed our community to see these dynamic performances for themselves. It was an amazing night full of cultural performances, upbeat routines and incredible talent. All of the dancers that stepped onto the stage left nothing behind.
The night ended with a powerful and emotional finale as our Year 13 students completed their final ASPIRE Dance Showcase, for some their seventh time performing in the showcase.
From our 2025 Dance Captains:
We have seen courage, creativity, and passion up here on this stage, and it’s been such a privilege to watch it all come together. Each performance tonight has been a reflection of dedication, not just from the dancers, but from the friends, family, and teachers who’ve supported along the way.
DanceNZMade Results:
Year 8 Solo: Emily Wetere - First Runner-Up
Year 8 Duo: Georgia Makgill & Jessica Jones - Champions
Year 9 Solo: Valentina Mitchell - Second Runner-Up
Year 9 Solo: Chloe Potter - First Runner-Up
Year 10 Solo: Sofia Moran - First Runner-Up (+ National Final Nomination)
Year 13 Solo: Charlotte Scott - Second Runner-Up
Mosaic (Senior Dance Troupe) - 2nd Runner up in the Open Category
Vortex (Hip-Hop Troupe) - Excellence in Choreography First Place, plus 1st Runner-Up in Year 11-13 Group, 2nd Runner-Up in the Overall Championship
Special congratulations to Charlotte Swap (Year 12, member of both Mosaic and Vortex) who received the Golden Ticket, giving her the opportunity to compete at Nationals later this term.