Rotorua high schools to bring best moves and energy to DanceNZ Made nationals

Rotorua Girls' High School dance crew XECUTE who competed at the Dance NZ Made regional Rotorua competition. Photo / Supplied

It will be a busy weekend for dancers from two local high schools as they put their best moves forward in a national competition.

Rotorua Girls' High School and Western Heights High School will be going to the DanceNZ Made nationals, to be held in Palmerston North on the weekend.

DanceNZ Made celebrates and embraces the strength, diversity and passion of dance in New Zealand. It includes duo, trio, solo and team competition categories.

At the DanceNZ Made Rotorua regionals, Rotorua Girls' High School won open team champions and overall regional champions.

Rotorua Girls' High School dance teacher Janaye Biddle-Kite says she was so excited they won - "For our dance department it was awesome to have a huge comeback and be so successful".

"I was totally stoked, and was more happy for the girls because the group is actually led by students.

"They are the ones whose brains are at the core of it. I was super-stoked for the young choreographers.

"I loved seeing their work develop, come to life on stage and have a successful outcome."

She says lots of their dance kids had been juggling other commitments as well during preparation, such as the school production and kapa haka.

Rotorua Girls' High School dance crew XECUTE who competed at the Dance NZ Made regional Rotorua competition. Photo / Supplied

Janaye says the team has added a lot of extras since the regionals, including a costume change.

She says for her, DanceNZ Made is about letting the kids from local schools celebrate dance together.

"As a community the kids get to come together, share this experience with each other, and with the wider community and family at the performance event.

"During the day they go through a series of workshops which helps to extend their movement vocab."

She thanks everyone who has helped and supported the girls.

Rotorua Girls' High School student Keeley Carter-Conroy says the win at regionals was really overwhelming, and she felt proud as well.

"I love the energy that everyone gives off. It's such a supportive environment to be in."

She is feeling excited about the nationals trip.

Student Teiringatahi Webster-Tarei says she felt happy with their regionals results, and it was like they had succeeded at something really great because it had been two years since Rotorua Girls' High School had won the competition.

"I was glad to be part of it and to help choreograph the winning dance.

"I enjoyed the workshops that happened throughout the day before the competition, and meeting new people from different schools and seeing friends.

She is both nervous and excited for the nationals.

In the Rotorua regionals, Western Heights High School were Year 9/10 Team Champions, Year 11-13 Team Champions, and Open Teams 2nd and 1st runner-up.

Western Heights High School choreographers with their assistants at DanceNZ Made Rotorua regionals. Photo / Supplied

Western Heights High School student Paige Elliott says it was a feeling of relief to get such great results, as their hard work had paid off.

She says there had been a lot of training to get ready for the competition.

"DanceNZ Made brings us all together, no matter what kind of dance or age, and everyone can thrive in the same environment."

She says it was amazing to have all the Rotorua schools come together at regionals, and she thought this year's was the biggest regionals she had seen.

Student Sam Patangan says it was an amazing experience at regionals.

"We are really excited because some of the crew members are Year 9 and junior years, so it is exciting to see them having their first nationals.

"It's also low-key sad because for the Year 13s this is the last nationals in the Heights dance crew. I hope it will be a great experience for all of us."

Sam says what he really loves about DanceNZ Made is the diversity it brings.

The judges were cool, and taught them new things about technique and styles of hip-hop and lyrical, Sam says.

Western Heights High School dance teacher Te Ao Tahana-Prangnell says she is proud of the dancers and choreographers.

She says this will be Western Heights High School's eighth year at the nationals.

Te Ao says a great part of DanceNZ Made to her it is all the high schools coming together, as well as seeing so many people there to support the dancers.

DanceNZ Made Rotorua regionals results
- Yr 9/10 Team Champions: Western Heights High School
- Yr 11-13 Team 2nd and 1st runner-up: John Paul College
- Yr 11-13 Team Champions: Western Heights High School
- Open Teams 2nd and 1st runner-up: Western Heights High School
- Open team Champions: Rotorua Girls' High School
- Overall Regional Champions: Rotorua Girls' High School