Success on the dance stage

Top dancers achieve NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL STATUS

Rylie Wilkinson

Sophie van der Meijden (Year 9) has been selected for the Dance Masters International (DMI) Intensive Training Programme for 2020/2021. She has also been awarded a one-week scholarship to attend the Chilton Ballet Academy in Wellington, as well as being accepted into the LOcREaDO Dance Programme for contemporary/ lyrical/commercial dance in Auckland this year.

Jessy Berman (Year 13) competed in the Evolution Dance Competition national finals on the Gold Coast in January. This competition is the culmination for the finalists chosen at the regional competitions held throughout Australia and New Zealand. Jessy achieved an astonishing result: top-five placings in her solos in contemporary, lyrical and jazz. While on a ballet scholarship at Saba Ballet’s Summer Intensive, Rylie Wilkinson (Year 11) received another Performing Arts Scholarship to ED5International, Australia’s premiere full-time performing arts academy in Sydney. Rylie has also been accepted into the LOcREaDO Dance Programme and was set to spend March and April being trained by Australian choreographer Loredo Malcolm. Rylie was re-selected to be in the Associate Programme at the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington where she will major in classical ballet. She has also been asked to join company dance training with Diamond Entertainment, based in Auckland.

In January Imogen Bowkett (Year 12) also competed in the Evolution Dance finals on the Gold Coast. Having received the overall highest scoring as soloist for her age in the Auckland regionals. She placed first in lyrical, second in contemporary, third in the open category and fifth in jazz at the finals. Imogen also won the jazz and lyrical duo categories, as well as receiving an additional Judges’ Choice Award, and a scholarship to a week-long intensive at ED5International in Sydney.

We congratulate these talented dancers on their achievements, the reward of long hours of dedication and discipline.