Stage Challenge cancellation lamented by students
When Nelson tudent Liani Paaka heard Stage Challenge had been cancelled, she was so distraught she started crying.
Stage Challenge – an annual dance, drama and design competition – has been a highlight for artistic high school students for 25 years. But the Stage Challenge Foundation has emailed teachers and sponsors to say the annual competition could not go ahead as they couldn’t afford to continue.
Paaka, 17, was set to be one of two Year 13 leaders for Garin College’s 2018 Stage Challenge performance.
She had been participating in Stage Challenge since she was 14, and said being on stage with her schoolmates made her feel ‘‘fearless’’.
She said the event boosted her confidence, particularly after she had been bulllied in her early teens.
‘‘I put all my emotion, rage and frustration into my dance. It was so good because I had never really had a healthy outlet for it. It made me feel so much better about myself.’’
She felt ‘‘horrible’’ when she found out Stage Challenge had been canned – not only for herself but for all Kiwi students.
‘‘When I read it this morning I just started crying because I couldn’t cope with it. I know so many people who also used it for an outlet. The fact that we’re not going to get that opportunity anymore sucks,’’ she said.
Garin College won Stage Challenge in 2015 with their performance The One Forbidden Thing.
In a letter to participating schools, Stage Challenge Foundation chairman Lester Taylor said: ‘‘The income generated from sponsorship and ticket sales in 2018 will be insufficient to produce the events to a high standard. Major costs of production include venue hire and the associated costs of providing staging, lighting and sound. The current economic conditions are making it difficult for the corporate sector to sponsor charitable events.’’.