The Movement Dance Studio mega crew (ages 8-17). Photo / Johanna Merenheimo
The Movement Dance Studio mega crew (ages 8-17). Photo / Johanna Merenheimo
While many students took the recent school holidays as a chance for a break, some of Levin’s up-and-coming dancers were working hard and it clearly paid off.
Owner of The Movement Dance Studio in Levin, Chantal Pinguet, said 42 students from the dance school had entered a range of national and regional competitions recently.
“These students are very hardworking and love dancing. It’s important to celebrate their success.”
Pinguet said when she took over the dance school in 2023, she rebranded it and since then has worked to make dance accessible to all and provide opportunities for dancers of all abilities and levels.
“I want our Levin dancers to have the same opportunities that dancers in the big cities have.”
She said the students are dedicated, spending many hours training.
“A lot of the dancers are learning five or six genres of dance as well as attending their team training. Our solo competitors do all this, plus their weekly one-on-one training as well. A lot of the top dancers train for 10-15 hours a week while attending school and train double that during the school holidays.”
Bella Mercado, 9, recently won five of her solos -classical, barefoot, demi-character, acrobatics and lyrical - at Manawatū Dance Society completion and was named the Junior Ballet Championship winner. At the Kāpiti competition, she went on to win another four sections and placed second in the Junior Ballet Championship.
Bella Mercado, 9, from Levin's The Movement Dance Studio. Photo / Johanna Merenheimo
Also at the Kāpiti competition, Pinguet said the school’s dance teams and crews came away with seven trophies.
“These were for their group dances in the ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and hip-hop sections. Our mega team, who were nominated to attend nationals in March, won the award for most entertaining item.”
Pinguet said five students attended the New Zealand School of Dance’s “Winter School” in Wellington.
“Lily-Ann van Wyk, Ayla-May Paparoa and Wilhelmina Chambers were nominated for a scholarship after placing top three in their class and Niyah Henare-Pearson won the Junior One scholarship.”
Ayla-May Paparoa, 13, from Levin's The Movement Dance Studio. Photo / Ben Pryor
Paparoa then attended the Upper Hutt Dance competition placing first in the intermediate jazz championship and won Champion of Champions. She was also awarded the Jazz Scholarship and trophies for the most versatile and most outstanding modern dancer.
Pinguet said the Movement Dance Studio’s small junior hip-hop crew competed in the Cadet Future Champions section at Hip Hop Unite’s national competition in May.
“They were selected for finals and were ranked fifth in the 13 years and under despite only being 7-10 years old.”
She said several dancers were also successful at the Dance NZ Made North Island exchange in Taupō.
“Georgia Sage and Te’Jahrr Paraku were awarded scholarships based on their performance in the workshop classes, Lily-Ann was the highest-scoring classical ballet dancer.”
The Movement Dance Studio's intermediate jazz squad (ages 10-14). Photo / Johanna Merenheimo
Pinguet said Laila Moore, Emmy-Lee Moore, Niyah Henare-Pearson, Ivy-Rose Henare-Pearson, Tennessee Williams, Wilhelmina Chambers and Milly Jones were nominated to attend January’s national competition.
“Having the dancers’ hard work pay off is fantastic.”
Camila Mercado, Georgia Sage, Bella Mercado, Lylah Brady, Zara-Hope Deavin, Violet Collis, Niyah Henare-Pearson, Lily-Ann van Wyk, Ayla-May Paparoa, Abigail Sage and Elloise Collis won solo, special awards or placed in national championships last term.
Niyah Henare-Pearson, 11, from The Movement Dance Studio.
