Selected dance students were excited to welcome Gareth Okan and Hannah Tasker-Poland from the New Zealand Dance Company on Friday morning to share their expertise at a workshop for those studying NCEA Level 3 Dance, along with Year 11 and 12 dance extension students.

The pair put the students through their paces as they moved from warm up exercises through to a choreographed piece that gradually increased in complexity. The work was preparing the Year 13’s for a later assessment.

As part of their dance course, the Year 13’s are studying a filmed resource based on Shona McCullagh’s ‘Trees, Birds then People’ - a remarkable piece with music by Gareth Farr that is featured in the New Zealand Dance Company’s performance ‘Language of Living.’ Viewing the piece has given the students the opportunity to analyse and reflect on the choreographic processes. 

The New Zealand Dance Company is dedicated to producing and presenting inspiring new dance for New Zealand and the world, with a desire to change the way New Zealanders see and experience contemporary dance, to stretch the boundaries of what dance can be and to share its power, beauty and humour with a broad audience. Our students were very fortunate to be able to share in this experience and we thank Gareth and Hannah for the fantastic workshop this morning. 

Mr Geordan Wilcox - Head of Dance

This year we have been very pleased to welcome Mr Geordan Wilcox as the new Head of Dance at the College. Mr Wilcox was formerly a dancer with the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) for 13 years and has a Master of Creative and Performing Arts in Dance Studies as well as a Diploma in Teaching (Secondary), both from the University of Auckland. He has choreographed works for professional dance companies and has taught at both the University of Auckland and the New Zealand School of Dance. He brings a huge amount of knowledge to the role and the students are really enjoying his style.

DANCE SHOWCASE
Our Year 12 and 13 dance students are currently preparing for their Dance Showcase to be held on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 June at 7pm in Elliot Hall.
Tickets will be on sale soon.
We encourage you to join them for what is guaranteed to be a superb evening of contemporary dance!

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