Central Hawke’s Bay dancers perform well under competition pressure

HB Ballet and Dance scholarship winners Jade Harrison and Miere Christensen-White with their teacher Deb Lees of DL Dance.

They had a two-week school holiday recently, but students from DL Dance in Waipukurau were still hard at work with teacher Deb Lees, training for dance competitions and taking part in the annual Bay Ballet and Dance Seminar.

Three students performed solos at the three-day Napier Performing Arts Competitions Society (NPACS) Easter Competition, which attracts competitors from all over New Zealand.

DL Dance students Livia Laird and Ellarose Brooker backstage at the Napier Performing Arts Competitions Society (NPACS) Easter Competition.

Jade Harrison placed 2nd in Neo-Classical Ballet. Livia Laird brought home a 2nd in Restricted Ballet under 12, 2nd in Classical Ballet Impromptu 10-14 years, highly commended in Restricted Modern under 12, highly commended in Classical Ballet under 12, highly commended in Barefoot Impromptu under 14, highly commended for Modern Impromtu under 14, and commended in both Open Modern and Lyrical, under 12. Ellarose Brooker placed 1st in Restricted Ballet under 12, 2nd in Tap under 12, commended in Open Ballet under 12, also bringing home the Suzanne Alloway Cup for Restricted Ballet.

Ellarose and Avis Scott competed at the Manawatū equivalent of this competition, (MPACS) the following week in Palmerston North.

Ellarose won very highly commended in Tap under 12, and Avis placed 2nd in Restricted Classical Ballet 9-12 yrs, along with two highly commended awards for Classical Barefoot 9 and under 11 years, and Classical Ballet 9 and under 11 years.

Avis Scott backstage at the Napier Performing Arts Competitions Society (NPACS) Easter Competition.

Six DL students also attended the Hawke’s Bay Ballet & Dance Seminar from April 20-22.

HB Ballet & Dance is a charitable organisation created to promote and encourage ballet and dance in Hawke’s Bay and the annual seminar provides an opportunity for dance students to receive tuition from renowned dance teachers from outside the region.

This year’s seminar brought together the talented and inspirational Sarah Knox (ballet), Hannah Tasker-Poland (contemporary and musical theatre) and Diana Shand (pointe). All three brought a wealth of knowledge and experience as dancers, choreographers and teachers.

Young dancers Ellarose Brooker, Pipi Tylee, Alfie Kuklinski and Livia Laird at the HB Ballet and Dance Seminar.

Four DL students received Application and Achievement Awards at the seminar; Alfie Kuklinski (Grade 4&5 ballet), Ellarose (musical theatre), Livia (Grade 4&5 ballet) and Pipi Tylee (contemporary).

Senior students Jade Harrison and Miere Christensen-White, received scholarships to attend the NZ School of Dance Winter Intensive, for ballet and contemporary, respectively. This includes a week of classes at NZ School of Dance in Wellington, where the girls will join classes of dancers from across NZ and receive tuition in the respective genres.