Whangarei's Charlotte Gleeson - seen here with Carl Smit of Kaitaia in 2012's La Fille Mal Gardee - will dance the lead role in The Nutcracker after all.
Whangarei's Charlotte Gleeson - seen here with Carl Smit of Kaitaia in 2012's La Fille Mal Gardee - will dance the lead role in The Nutcracker after all.
A weekly round-up of news snippets, events and oddities from the Bay of Islands and around the Mid North
The Nutcracker comes to town
The Northern Dance Academy is this week performing its third full-length ballet, the hugely popular Christmas-themed Nutcracker.
All 65 of the academy's students, who range in age from 4-18, will take part.
The show will use 176 costumes, a stage set from the Royal New Zealand Ballet, props made by a designer from the Xena and Hercules TV series, and some special effects which are still under wraps.
But now, in a plot twist worthy of the most melodramatic ballet, it is Megan who is injured and on her way to Australia for specialist treatment - while Charlotte's better than expected recovery means she will be able to dance the role of the Snow Queen for her home audience after all.
The story revolves around a heroine, Clara, who falls asleep after a Christmas Eve party and enters a fantasy world. It features Spanish, Arabian and Russian dances as well as mice, soldiers and a dragon, all set to the music of the Russian composer Tchaikovsky.
Other local stars include Rosey Robb and Caitlin Munford-Stokes (the Sugar Plum Fairy), Lucia Avery and Katey Whitehead (Clara) and Bjorn Aslund (the Nutcracker Prince). See www.turnercentre.co.nz or visit the venue for ticket information.
Santa's coming, again
Santa continues his travels around the Mid North with appearances in Okaihau and Kaeo this Saturday, December 12.
Marino Ransfield is framed by fellow performers during a previous Kaeo Christmas parade and festival. PHOTO / PETER DE GRAAF
Okaihau's parade starts at 10am by the fire station on Lake Rd then makes its way up the main road to the community hall, which will feature a Christmas market and Santa's grotto. Santa will trade his sleigh for a fire engine. Okaihau Lions will hold a competition for the best Christmas tree made out of anything except a tree.
Santa will then make his way to Kaeo, where the annual Christmas parade starts in town at noon and makes its way to Whangaroa College for a festival of kai, live music and good vibes. Kids will be able to make requests and get their photos taken with Santa.
These smaller Far North parades may lack the spectacular floats of big-city events but more than make up for it in community spirit and fun.
Deck the halls
The Bay of Islands Singers are hosting community Christmas carols at the Turner Centre Plaza in Kerikeri from 6pm next Wednesday, December 16. All welcome to come and sing along. Free entry.
Do you feel an art attack coming on? If so, and you are aged 10-13, you may want to get along to Akau Studio (on Kaikohe's Marino Court, opposite the library) every Wednesday from 3.30-5.30pm.
Tutors Honey Te Rangi and Rakky Alexander will help budding artists explore their imaginations in a series of free classes. The resulting artworks will be displayed at the Ngapuhi Festival early next year.
Paihia Lanes
Crowds were packed shoulder-to-shoulder for the buzzing opening last Friday of Paihia Lanes, a night market in the former Paihia Mall.
The opening night of Paihia Lanes last Friday was a huge success. PHOTO / PETER DE GRAAF
Coordinator Asha Andersen said most of Paihia turned out to see the renovations in the old mall and get a bite to eat - not to mention a dry place to shelter - after the Christmas parade. Attractions included 14 food stalls, live music and facepainting for the kids.
The market would return every Friday from 5-10pm. Ten food stalls had booked this week offering everything from whitebait fritters to Mexican. The musician would be Peter Millington of Opua.
Ms Andersen hoped the number of stalls would grow over time. Feedback from the opening night was overwhelmingly positive.
"We're grateful to the community for getting behind us as we try to revitalise this part of town," she said. The old mall, with its empty shops and forlorn appearance, had been dragging the town down for too long. It was hoped the night market would be the first step in its revival.
Art alert
It's going to be a busy weekend for art lovers in the Mid North.
From 5-7pm this Friday, December 11, ceramic artist Richard Parker and printmaker Mark Graver will open an exhibition at Art at Wharepuke, 190 Kerikeri Rd. The show will then run from 9am-5pm daily until January 10.
Both artists are based in Kerikeri but have international reputations. Mr Parker will present works not yet seen in Northland while Mr Graver's new prints include digital works based on Kerikeri River and Wharepuke Subtropical Garden.
Then at 2pm on Saturday, December 12, Outpost Hokianga and Village Arts in Kohukohu will open a collaborative showcase.
The show, Calling all Dreamers, will feature Panguru carver John Morunga plus a host of interesting and exotic goodies from far and wide.
It's worth heading over to North Hokianga early to catch the Kohukohu market at 10am and kids' activities on the Village Green, or combining the trip with a visit to No 1 Parnell Gallery across the water in Rawene.
Long-lost birds return
Bay Bush Action, a community group dedicated to eliminating pests and restoring native wildlife to the forest behind Paihia, is celebrating the return of two long-absent birds.
Weka were re-introduced to Opua State Forest in the 1950s but had not been seen there for more than 30 years - until last month. The sighting was thought to be of a young weka from the Opua town area dispersing to find its own territory.
Also last month, a Bay Bush Action volunteer recognised the strange and distinctive call of the puweto or spotless crake, a small and secretive bird that lives in freshwater wetlands. Both birds are flightless, ground-nesting natives from the rail family.
Playhouse raffle
Bay of Islands Riding for the Disabled is the recipient of $660 and Kerikeri couple Pamela and Morris Waters are the owners of a children's playhouse following a raffle at the recent P&I show at Waimate North.
The playhouse was built by the crew at GJ Gardner who also ran the raffle and donated all proceeds.
The Waters were thrilled to win because they were considering buying a playhouse for their four-year-old granddaughter and 20-month-old grandson.
Riding for the Disabled runs sessions at its new indoor arena at Waimate North on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Wednesday afternoon. For more information call Glenys on (09) 405 9771 or 021 624642 or visit www.sportsground.co.nz/boirda.
Frank speaking
Bay of Islands identity Frank Leadley, 80, was prompted to finally write his autobiography by questions from his 12-year-old granddaughter who was working on a school history project.
Once he'd made up his mind it took just six weeks to write his life story, called Frank Speaking and launched at the Bay of Islands Yacht Club at Waitangi on November 25.
The book outlines Mr Leadley's youth in the Solomon Islands, his first teaching job in Palmerston North, marrying Vanessa, his wife of 53 years, his time at Te Awamutu College, and becoming principal at Bay of Islands College at the age of 35.
After 22 years Mr Leadley took early retirement but became even busier thanks to a multitude of educational and youth activities as well as the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway and Rotary.
He and Vanessa have three children and six grandchildren and live in Opua.
Among those who spoke at the launch were Far North District Mayor John Carter, who was MC for the evening; Deputy Mayor Tania McInnes, a student at the college while Mr Leadley was in charge; Johnson Davis of the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway; Roger Toplis from Bay of Islands Rotary; and Kerikeri High School principal Elizabeth Forgie, paying tribute by video link from China to Mr Leadley's work setting up the Secondary Principals' Association.
Mr Carter said Mr Leadley's energy and commitment had changed lives. "His connection with so many varied aspects of the community means he is the 'go to guy' whose advice I can always rely on," he said.
Do you have news or an upcoming event you'd like to see in this column? Send it to us, including your full contact details, to baynews@northernadvocate.co.nz.
