Horowhenua's Fairfield School enters ShowQuest for the first time

Fairfield School are sending 65 dancers to Showquest tonight in Palmerston North. They had spent months rehearsing.

Fairfield School is sending 65 dancers to the Palmerston North ShowQuest tonight with a performance the students have produced.

After almost three months of practice the group is finally ready for the big time. It is the first time the school has participated at ShowQuest, an annual performing arts platform supported by the Ministry of Education.

ShowQuest, at the Regent on Broadway, is open to students of all ages as a platform for music, drama and dance.

Fairfield School principal Donna Rowe said she was impressed with the performance after watching the dress rehearsal, and liked the idea there are different dance styles.

''I think that's what's really special is that the students came up with the story,'' she said.

The performance is called Transforming Mindsets. The students' message is that when someone fails, self-doubt could creep in. They believe they couldn't change and had a fixed mindset.

But the students demonstrate learning from mistakes is important. It takes practice and time to improve.

"When people believe in themselves, their efforts have an effect on success. At Fairfield School, students strive to demonstrate a growing mindset, Rowe said.

The performance had a wide array of gymnastic feats, dance styles and emotion, from the upbeat jump and clap to the bleak representation of self-doubt.

The teachers involved were Courtney Morrissey, John Manville and Amy Burns. Manville (director) and Morrissey (choreography) were new to the school. Morrissey said it gave the students a chance to shine.

''It's great for the students as they get to experience an audience, lights and being on the big stage,'' she said.

The students were asked what school values were most important. They came up with the idea of ''striving to demonstrate a growth mind-set towards everything they do'.'

Emily Snell, a Horowhenua College student, is on work experience with the Horowhenua Chronicle this week.