Havelock High boasts best stage talent in the land

Havelock North High's Showquest performers are the event's national champs. Photo/ Supplied

Talented students from Havelock North High School have taken top spot at the Showquest national final, becoming the first overall winner of New Zealand's new music, dance and drama showcase for schools.

The winning team of students chose to theme their piece Come Join The Circus, using the metaphor of circus to "challenge society's relationship with cellphones".

Second place went to Waimea College in Nelson for their piece Distorted Images, themed around body image.

Event judge Jackie Clarke said she found the school performances thoroughly engaging.

"There is no better feeling, and there is no more healing and positive energy you can bring to the world then actually putting on a show, communicating ideas, feelings, emotions, and aspirations, and sharing that with your community," Clarke said.

Matt Ealand from the Rockquest Promotions Auckland office, and the director of the programme, said that participating in Showquest is about more than just the performance on the day.

"Showquest is structured on a competitive framework, but the driving rationale, as with all the Rockquest Promotions' events, is to encourage participation, creative growth and team work," he says. "We find that if we are able to provide a platform where students can express themselves on their own terms within the boundaries of the event, the rewards go far beyond the rush of performing on the day."

The national final was judged from a pool of regional first and second place winners, and awarded by a panel of expert judges from the performing arts sector. Teams were judged overall on their performance, soundtrack, costuming, choreography and theme.