Taranaki’s The Dance Project dancers put on fundraiser shows to get to Australia

Members of The Dance Project are headed to Australia in 2024. Photo / Monique Matthews Photography and Ella Coulton

Twenty-five talented Taranaki dancers are headed across the ditch next year for two weeks of workshops and performing in Sydney and the Gold Coast.

The dancers are all members of The Dance Project and creative director Hayley Old says the Australia trip is about showing them what they can achieve as dancers.

“I think sometimes it can seem out of reach, to go and perform overseas or study dance somewhere. But it is possible, and our dancers have the skills needed.”

The dancers will spend time with the Village Nation Performing Arts School in Sydney, where they will get to participate in workshops, learning from some of the very best in the business, says Hayley.

“We will also be catching up with one of our former The Dance Project members there. Kate Sheaf-Morrison was a dancer with us, and she is now a student at Village Nation, so we are able to show our current dancers exactly what can be achieved with hard work and skill. Kate was just 16 when she moved there for study, and she really worked hard to get there. So it’s not an impossible dream, it is achievable and this trip is about showing them that and exposing them to all they can do with dance.”

As well as workshops at Village Nation, the dancers will also attend workshops at The Lab, another brilliant dance school, says Hayley.

“Both are really prestigious and will teach the dancers a lot.”

After five days in Sydney, the group will head to the Gold Coast where they will perform at Dreamworld.

“Which is a great experience for them as well.”

Getting to Australia isn’t cheap, says Hayley, and the group has been busily fundraising through cake sales, quiz nights, a Cake n Sip evening where participants learned to decorate a cake while enjoying a drink and, next week, fundraiser shows in Stratford and Hāwera.

“We have been really well-supported by the community in the past with our fundraising and we really appreciate it. The shows are a way to fundraise while also giving people a great night of entertainment.”

Previous The Dance Project shows have been cabaret style, but this one isn’t, says Hayley.

“We wanted to do something different. It gives the dancers a different experience completely. To me, there is nothing like a theatre show, and they learn so much from it, the language, the sound and lighting aspects. We also have singers featured, which is another element for our dancers to learn. Dancing to live vocals is completely different.”

The singers, Cohin Thomason, Monique Matthews and Kelsey McEwen, are “incredibly talented, we are lucky to have them”, says Hayley.

“And we are lucky to have such talented dancers as well. The trip to Australia will show them just what can be achieved with their talent.”

The Details

What: The Dance Project and Friends Fundraiser show

Where: TET Kings Theatre and Hāwera Memorial Theatre

When: Friday, October 13, 7pm (Stratford) and Sunday, October 15, 4pm (Hāwera).

Details: Tickets - $30, under 5s free. Available from www.eventbookings.com/b/event/the-dance-project-friends-fundraiser-shows-stratford or at the door.

Contact Hayley via www.facebook.com/TheDanceProjectIncorporated or on 027 4633336 for more details or any fundraising opportunities.

Win: The Dance Project has given the Stratford Press a double pass to the Stratford show for a lucky reader to win. To be in to win, simply email editor@stratfordpress.co.nz with The Dance Project in the subject line. Include your name and contact details in the body of the email. Draw closes at noon, Wednesday, October 11 and the winner will be contacted that afternoon.