Dance extravaganza to open school theatre

Whangarei Girls' High School Year 13 dance students have been preparing for their assessed dance showcase since the beginning of the school year.

Students will be performing 21 dances at the school theatre tonight, which head of dance department teacher Leone Neal described as an eclectic mix.

"There's really modern, some contemporary, a jazzy number and even some Maori contemporary dance," she said.

"These girls are incredibly talented, they've been working towards it all year."

Some of the dances have been choreographed and taught to the class by students.

Each student will perform a solo, or a duet, to focus on their personal strengths.

Some students are talented tap dancers, or ballet dancers, Ms Neal said, but must be able to perform across all disciplines.

The duo or solo is a chance to really shine in their chosen specialty.

Class sizes have doubled in the dance department this year, Ms Neal said. "I think it's a mixture of girls knowing you can get fit, have fun, get out of the classroom and the activity is really good for the brain."

The show is the first to be held in the new school theatre with 165 seats. The event kicks off at 7pm. Contact the Girls' High office on 09 430 4460 for ticket information.