Northland schools to battle it out in Stage Challenge

Bream Bay College won the Northland Stage Challenge heat last year and are ready to defend their title. Photo/QuikPix

Schools from around Northland will battle it out in a competition known for using performance to spark conversations on important issues.

The Stage Challenge and J Rock Northland heat is at Forum North next week and will see seven schools compete and one school perform in the non-competitive J Rock division for primary and intermediate pupils.

Bream Bay College won last year's Northland Stage Challenge heat and scooped the Ministry of Youth Development National Award for Excellence for Drama for its piece which explored the idea that all survivors of rape have a story to tell, yet society still wears a mask.

Bream Bay College dance teacher Jo Mayne said this year's theme was being kept secret but the students were prepared to defend their title.

"The calibre of performers from the other schools is consistently very high. Defending our title will be challenging knowing how extremely talented the other schools are.

"I think they are definitely going out there to show we are not a one trick pony. We can be consistent, it's not a fluke," she said.

Stage Challenge will see 200 schools - 16,000 participants - use dance, drama and design to create a performance to a theme of their choice nationally.

Each team may have up to 140 students from a school or community group working together with parents, teachers and their community to create their performance.

Ms Mayne said Stage Challenge performances often gave people a way to start conversations that are not normally had.

"The idea is to challenge people and their thoughts."

Schools put hours of hard work into their performances.

Ms Mayne said Bream Bay College had spent about three months preparing for the event including lunch times, after school and weekends.

The Northland Stage Challenge and J Rock Heat is at Forum North, Whangarei next Tuesday from 7pm.