Dancers put their best foot forward for competitions

Evie Starck performs at last year’s Gisborne Ballet Group competition in the Song and Dance category.

Gisborne Ballet Group will be holding its annual dance competitions this weekend where dancers compete in a variety of styles including ballet, tap and modern.

New this year is a memorial scholarship and trophy in the name of Gill Clout who passed away in 2022. She was a well known tap teacher in Gisborne.

“We are really looking forward to seeing dancers aged 3 to 18 years on stage after such a tough few months for our region from weather events,” says Gisborne Ballet Group president Nadine Proctor.

She is pleased to welcome two judges this year, Diana Shand and Holly Hansen.

“We are very happy to have adjudicators of such high calibre,” she said.

Diana Shand joined The Royal New Zealand Ballet in 1988 and was promoted to the position of principal dancer in 1995. During her time with  the company she travelled extensively, nationally and internationally, dancing many leading roles including Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), Lilac Fairy (Sleeping Beauty), Sugar Plum Fairy (Nutcracker), Titania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Ugly Stepsister (Cinderella) and the Balanchine ballets, Agon, The Four Temperaments and Who Cares. She has choreographed several shows for the Napier Operatic Society including Chicago and Hairspray and most recently Into the Woods and The Producers.

Holly Hansen started dancing at a young age with Gisborne teachers Gill Clout and Robyn Dear and will be judging the tap section of the competitions.

Gisborne Ballet Group wants to acknowledge the assistance from Gisborne District Creative Communities NZ for their grant towards running the weekend.