Tauranga Regional Dance Group
Och aye ... they can dance
You’ve heard of Happy Feet – how about Dancing Feet?
In a move to raise the profile of Highland Dancing as a modern art form, an innovative new dance is ready to hit the stage.
While the dance has been devised and choreographed at a national level, 10 young dancers from the Western Bay of Plenty are doing their bit to see it performed outside the main cities. Tutored by Regional Co-ordinator Christine Paul, the 10 dancers are all from three local dance schools. All the dancers had to audition at the national level for selection – to qualify they had to be aged at least 14 years and have passed the Grade 5 examination.
Christine says the group has worked extremely hard learning the intricate dance and they are looking forward to being able to showcase it at suitable occasions in and around the Bay of Plenty area.
The dance item is performed in full Highland dress to music composed and played by one of New Zealand’s top competitive bagpipers, Jamie Hawke from Christchurch. The dance itself was choreographed two Technical members of the NZ Academy of Highland and National Dancing and it is innovative and inspiring for the dancers and the audience. The dance has already been performed by the national dance team and was extremely well received by audiences in Auckland and Christchurch – most notably at Rugby World Cup events involving the Scottish rugby team.
The aim is to promote highland dancing as quality dance entertainment. If you know of any opportunities for the Dancing Feet group to perform please contact Christine Paul, ph 552 4164.
Names for the caption: L to R
Heidi McIntosh
Angus Hendry
Morgan Jack
Nicola Dunnery
Kirsty-Lee Gray
Bridget Karton
Rikayla Richardson
Brittany Kirk
Sarah Benes
Niamh Blackman
2012 Dance Group applications
See downloads for the amended version of the requirements for new applications to the regional group and national dance group
Annual General meeting minutes and reports
The 2011 Annual General meeting minutes and reports are available as a download from the download section
Youth Forum Posters
At the recent Youth Forum, they were asked to design posters to give to schools to encourage children to learn Highland - See the Gallery for their great colourful posters
Presentation of awards - Hawkes Bay
The HB T&J organised a special xmas dinner and invited Dorothy Wilson and Robyn Laughton and we presented them with their badges and certificates. They were both very honoured to received them. It had been Dorothy's 80th birthday earlier in the week and another member, Margaret Brougham just told her she was taking her out for dinner for her birthday so it was a big surprise when she arrived and we were all there. Nola Bernstone also attended so some great reminishing.
She had just thought that her badge would arrive in the mail sometime - so she was delighted.
2012 Academy Dance Group New applications
Please see downloads for the 2012 Dance group new application DVD audition requirements.
2012 Academy Dance Group re application
Please see downloads for the 2012 Academy Dance Group Re application forms
Irish Step Dance Syllabus Restructure
See Downloads for the revised Irish Step Dance Syllabus Restructure.
The new Stage 3 will be published when the Syllabus is introduced at Conference in September 2012.
For candidates who have sat the old Irish Stage 1 have a transition period until 2015 to sit the old Irish Stage 2 syllabus.
