The Kuranui College contemporary dance team placed top three in the recent Dance NZ Made national finals in Palmerston North.

This is the second time Kuranui has placed within the top three at the national level since the college’s first competition four years ago. The piece, entitled ‘Chaos’, was choregraphed by Anna Laybourn and Maaike Smolnicki and involved nine students from across the school.

This achievement followed a highly successful regional round, where this year’s cohort of Kuranui dance students also gained top three placings in their categories including Florence Cater and Lola Armstrong who were named Champions in the Year 11-13 Duo/Trios.

Both Rilee Scott and Olly Penman were first runners up and Sorcha O’Donogue and Georgina Birrell second runners up in the same category, while Lilli Rogers was placed third in the Year 11-13 Solo group.

From left: Anna Laybourn, Maaike Smolnicki, Ms Karin Melchior, Florence Cater and Lola Armstrong

Given the interschool competition took place during Alert level 2, it was a challenge for Kuranui’s dance students to avoid the obstacles the pandemic presented.

“Covid’s been annoying because the competition was postponed, but then we did get extra practice,” explained Laybourn. “Also when we were at the competition, all of the groups were divided up and you couldn’t go to the theatre until half an hour before we performed.”

“Normally we’re able to go to the changing rooms and use the little rooms to practice, but we were in the parking lot and practicing, and then we got ready and did our makeup in the shopping mall,” added Smolnicki.

Kuranui Dance Teacher Karin Melchior was delighted the competition was able to go ahead under Level 2, but there were a few key changes to format. “We were allowed into zones, one zone was the backstage, then we were allowed to watch in a different zone and then swap over.

“Usually during the regional competition, it takes a whole day which includes workshops, so the students are able to mix with all the other schools and other age groups. This time they just had a two-hour slot, so they had their performance and then a small workshop in front of the limited audience. Then they were out and the next group came in.”

The pandemic certainly shaped the students’ dance themes, which centred around concepts of chaos and disruption by using changes in tempo and energy. “It wasn’t so much about the competition this year, we were really pleased to just be there. We kept it fun, we didn’t over-rehearse and make it like a chore and we still performed well,” said Armstrong.

“It was really nice that the students were able to still do Dance NZ Made. Dean McKerras, the organiser, did incredibly well to manage to get it off the ground at Level 2 because most things have been cancelled as it’s just too hard,” acknowledged Melchior.

Article added: Friday 25 September 2020