Young performers were busy preparing to take the opera house stage at the Wanganui Competitions October Dance Festival this week.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Young performers were busy preparing to take the opera house stage at the Wanganui Competitions October Dance Festival this week.
Photo / Bevan Conley
The boards of the Royal Wanganui Opera House were well and truly trod this week.
Young dancers aged from 4 to 19 came from all over the North Island to compete in the Wanganui Competitions October Dance Festival which is now in its 108th year.
Wanganui Competitions Society president Hayley Sellars said Auckland competitors were unable to attend due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"We didn't know where the Covid levels would be so we went with the safest option," she said.
"As it is we've had 900 items performed over five days so there has been a lot to get through."
Dancers competed in ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop, tap and group categories and the backstage areas of the opera house were filled with young performers getting in some last-minute rehearsals and checking their costumes and make-up.
"There is a new category in the competitions this year," Sellars said. "We have introduced PerformAble for children who have disabilities.
"Dance teachers have children in their classes who are unable to compete fairly in their age categories.
"We didn't want them to miss out so we have introduced a special category to include them in the competitions."
The dance festival category is named DanceAble and the 2020 winner is 10-year-old Ronan Redwood-Jones who has been studying with teacher Dean McKerras in Palmerston North.
Sellars, who has previously volunteered for Riding for the Disabled, said she had witnessed the benefits gained by children with disabilities when they compete in competitions.
"I think that performance competitions will be equally beneficial," she said.
Ronan Redwood-Jones, 10, was the inaugural winner in the DanceAble category this year. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui ballet dancer Billie Dufty, 13, won the intermediate competition this year.
"Her performance was absolutely beautiful," said Sellars. "Her dance teacher is Anna Chandulal who should be very proud."
Whanganui dancer Billy Duffy, 13, won the intermediate ballet category at the competitions.
Photo / Supplied
National adjudicators for each performing art come to Whanganui to judge the competitions each year.
Sellars said the The Lion Foundation has supported the dance festival by paying the hire costs for the opera house this year.
"Until 2018, we held the competitions at the Whanganui Girls' College hall but the stage was too small for some of the larger groups so we really appreciate the Lions' help."
For many years, the competitions were largely driven by Wanganui Competitions Society past president Eris Walker who died in August 2017. Her family established the Eris Walker Trophy which is presented to an adult volunteer each year, along with numerous awards for performers.
