Dancers primed for national competition
A group of Hamilton Girls’ High School students will have their hip-hop moves marked against the best in the country when they perform at the DanceNZ Made national competition.
The Addiction dance crew scored a 100 per cent mark in the Open Division of the DanceNZ Made regional competition, sending them to the nationals in Palmerston North on September 23.
Addiction won with their dance routine marionettes at the regionals in Hamilton on August 21.
Crew leader and choreographer Darien Lee had entered the competition with a crew last year but did not win. So this year a few new goals were set to improve that result.
‘‘At the beginning of the year, that was the aim, the aim was to win the competition,’’ Lee said.
The crew also won the supreme award for the regional competition and Lee was also awarded a medal for excellence in choreography.
‘‘For a lot of the girls it was like a new experience for them,’’crew member Aimee Carstens said.
‘‘Not many of them had performed on a stage or at a competition so I think it was good for a lot of the girls to get the experience.’’
Now the Addiction dance crew must raise $4000 to attend the national finals.
Addiction’s manager Deb Lee said wants to organise a quiz night to fundraise for the girls.
‘‘It’s still a lot for me to try and organise a quiz night in two weeks, but I’ll try, otherwise the students have all got to come up with $400 each,’’ Lee said.
‘‘They’ve done too well not to take the opportunity, so Vicki (dance teacher) and I will do our best to get them there.
‘‘The girls have been practising three times a week since April and have also used school competitions to practise their dance, and will perform the same winning routine at the finals.’’
The school competed well in the regional competition, winning two out of the three group divisions. It had three soloists Darien Lee, Joeleen Chapman and Ruby Moetara selected to compete in the division finals competition in Palmerston North.
The Year 9 to 10 division was won by the Dance Club, which was choreographed by Hamilton Girls’ High School student Tyla Robinson.