Whangārei Intermediate School Year 8 cheer squad at rehearsals before the WIS Extravaganza. Photo / Tania Whyte
Whangārei Intermediate School Year 8 cheer squad at rehearsals before the WIS Extravaganza. Photo / Tania Whyte
By Jodi Bryant
Audiences are in for a treat with a two-day feast for the eyes and ears involving 175 Whangārei Intermediate School students in their annual extravaganza show.
Now in its ninth year, the Whangārei Intermediate School (WIS) event will be held over two evenings, for the first time, due to its sell-out popularity previous years, said performance arts teacher Susan McDiarmid.
"The show has become very popular. Every year parents and people from the wider community are disappointed as they miss out. This year we are grateful for Oxford Sports trust funding, which is allowing us to hold two shows so that everyone gets to see and enjoy," she said.
Whangārei Intermediate School Year 7 hip-hop crew rehearse for the two-day WIS Extravaganza. Photo / Tania Whyte
The show is comprised of performances by kapa haka, orchestra, choir, hip-hop and cheer crews, bands and a contemporary dance piece based on telling the story of Maui and Aoraki involving 62 students.
The show will also feature SMAC Dance Co, consisting of both past and present students, who have had huge success over recent years.
In 2018 SMAC competed in TV3's The Great New Zealand Dance Masala and featured in all episodes through to the final. The crew were first in Auckland's Diwali Festival 2019 and performed in front of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame Awards, later meeting and having their photo taken with her, which they are about to repeat.
"I think the audience are going to be very spoiled this year as they will get to observe very fresh and new pieces of work," said McDiarmid.
"Two school bands have all new sets as they are about to defend their 2019 title at Bandquest in Auckland. Our beautiful Te Ropu Atawahi have a stunning piece, which was prepared for the very recent Kapa Haka Regionals.
"Maui and Aoraki is an all-new contemporary piece with lots of special effects and set design, our two hip-hop and cheer crews will perform their WIS on Tour pieces where they toured nine different schools over three Fridays and SMAC Dance Co - guest artists will perform their new Diwali20 choreography," she said.
"The students have worked so hard, not only during enrichment class time, but lunchtime rehearsals, intensive day rehearsals, after-school and weekend training."
Year 8 student Omindi Withanage Dona, 13, is taking part in the hip-hop, contemporary and SMAC performances. Photo / Tania Whyte
Year eight student Omindi Withanage Dona, 13, is taking part in the hip-hop, contemporary and SMAC performances. Having only one year of dance experience of traditional Sri Lanken and hip-hop when aged 6, Omindi moved to New Zealand in 2017 and only took up dance again this year.
"I just really love dancing and it's something I've really wanted to do," she said, adding that her family were looking forward to watching the show.
McDiarmid said she had picked up on the dance moves quickly, despite having little experience.
"I asked her where she had been! I threw some really hard moves at (the dance groups) and they just picked it up straight away."
McDiarmid said the popular social networking app TikTok, used to create short dance videos, had helped with the co-ordination of young people in recent years.
"It's always interesting all the fads and the power of dance and, next minute, it's taken off."
The WIS Extravaganza will take place at Forum North on November 17 and 18 from 6pm-7.30pm. Tickets are $5 from the WIS office.
