ROCKING THE STAGE: Last year's Stage Challenge regional winners, Western Heights High School. PHOTO/FILE
New Zealand's largest and longest running youth performing arts event is making its way to Rotorua.
More than a dozen local schools will be competing in this year's Stage Challenge and J Rock.
The event held on June 8 and 9 is part of a nationwide tour involving 16,000 participants from 200 schools.
Image 1 of 10: 100614bf2 Stage Challenge. Rotorua Girls High School 10 June 2014 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser.
Photos from 2014
It aims to motivate young people to engage in positive and healthy lifestyles while providing an opportunity to be part of a professional performing arts event that will provide a lasting memory.
Stage Challenge provides a first class professional event for young people to showcase their skills in dance, drama and design. This first-class experience carries key messages of attending school regularly, goal setting, staying fit and healthy, and having fun without tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.
Event manager Sarah-Jane Phillips said the best part about the event was it gave students the chance to experience the "natural high you get when performing onstage in front of large audiences".
"Stage Challenge offers students an opportunity to make positive decisions in several areas of their lives and allows them to have fun with their friends while doing so."
Local students, teachers and parents have been working for months to prepare performances, nail choreography and erect stage designs.
The competition also has scope for teachers to use elements for NCEA assessments in subjects such as dance, drama, woodwork, art and textiles.
Image 1 of 2: Lakes High students practise for next week's Stage Challenge.
Photos from 2014
Stage Challenge producer Helen Sjoquist said she was delighted with how the event had grown over the past 23 years. "More than 250,000 students have been part of the event and I am proud to witness and hear about their accomplishments ..."
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