DANCE school teachers light up the stage: Neveah Wallace, Charley Richardson-Douch and Aylah Hopa. Photo supplied
HOLLYWOOD came to the Les Munro Centre on December 9, with a jazzy end of year showcase by dance school Moves in Motion.
Piopio and Āria students took part in the Te Kūiti performance.
“A night at the movies” was the theme of the showcase, which was the school’s second since its establishment on this day – December 21 – last year.
For many of the students it was their first stage performance.
Not that it showed. Parents and supporters agree the event went extremely well, with youngsters showing off their achievements across a range of dance disciplines including tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop and, for the smallest tamariki, the ‘tiny tots’ section.
Sixteen-year-old Charley Richardson-Douch, the dance school’s owner and head teacher, said it was a great learning experience for the students.
“All of them gained confidence and had fun,” she told King Country News.
Not to mention new skills, supportive friendships, and the cameraderie that can only come from working together on a special project with all hands-on deck.
“My highlight was definitely watching all the hard work come together, and seeing my students shine on stage. I am so proud of them.”
The school has students ranging in age from 2 to 65, although only about half appeared at the concert. The rest stepped down due to holidays – or young nerves.
The local students covered two movie numbers: A dream is a wish your heart makes which originally appeared in Cinderella, and A spoonful of sugar from Mary Poppins.
They also performed Never Enough from The World’s Greatest Showman, and a Tarzan medley.
Preparation started in March, with the buying of some costumes, and the sewing of others.
And in Charley’s words, “the highlight of the costumes was finishing them.”
She enjoyed completing that task with her grandmother, Te Awamutu based Geraldine Douch, because it meant the two could spend more time together.
Other pre-concert tasks included choosing the music and booking the venue.
Charley did not have to do the hard work alone.
She has been supported by fellow teachers: Caitlyn Cody, but also Aylah Hopa and Neveah Wallace, from Te Awamutu.
In 2024, the school will definitely be doing another similar show – but there are likely to be a few changes to classes, which will begin at the start of the school term.
Local classes will no longer take place in Piopio, with students travelling to either Āria or Te Kūiti, depending on the location of their homes.
Te Awamutu classes will go ahead as normal.
Charley attends Te Awamutu College but hopes to make dance a full-time career once she leaves formal education.
The other local teacher at the school, Piopio’s Caitlyn, is the same age as Charley – the two friends established the dance academy as a project together.
Piopio and Āria district students who performed that night included Petani Rauputu, Chloe Darke, Waitaria Bodger-Kearns, Tilly Wishnowsky, Sasha Foreman, Reanna Haine and Kaylee and Amber Rasmussen.
Concert photography was provided by another Āria local, journalist Hannah Bodger-Kearns.
