Dance steps lead to teaching roles

Hunterville School teacher Alecia Viles was on track for a career as a performance artist until injury led to a change of plan.

"Teaching was always my alternative so it has not been too difficult," she says.

A stress fracture in her foot meant that she could not dance at professional level but she has not had to give up her passion altogether.

With a bachelor of arts, diploma in performing arts (dance) and now a teaching diploma, the 24-year-old has been dancing since she was very young and still teaches part time at Dance Unlimited Manawatu where she first learned to dance.

This is Alecia's first year teaching at Hunterville where she is able to add her choreography skills to the Wizard of Oz production.

"I don't have a lot of time to put in but it is great to be involved and of course the children in my class all have parts in the production," she says.

The young learners in her class are aware that their teacher is an accomplished dancer and one boy said he has seen her perform on stage.

"She is very good," he says.

Professional judges have also deemed her to be very good and in 2010 Alecia was the AJDA (American Jazz Dance Affiliation), Advanced Solo Seal Top Examination candidate for New Zealand.