Success through Innovation, Determination and Courage

Stage Challenge 2009

Tongariro School’s entry into Mission-On 2009 this year was a blast with our wonderfully talented students taking out 1st place in Rotorua. 

Our entry entitled ‘Tane Rore and the Birds’ told the legend of birds facing extinction and their journey to visit Tane Rore, God of Haka where he taught them how to dance like Piwaiwaka and thus attract the female birds.

The commitment and dedication shown by students and whanau for an activity that promotes a smoke free, drug free and alcohol free environment for our youth was tremendous and we acknowledge the efforts of you all.

Tutors Ngapera and Tawhero Haitana incorporated dance moves supported by senior student Tuatara Wall who also tutored one section.

Our ‘set’ construction driven by Hard Tech teacher Richard Bray for the technical side of things and Nicole Singer (student) for the design side of things, was a combined effort of energy and talent. 

A team of costumers and prop makers, Denise McKavanagh, Gendi Te Kepa, Sue Marquet, Jennifer Lumley, Rakai Tomoana-Gul and Vanessa Lumley  certainly put in the hours to make our dancers fit the part - a huge thank you for your efforts to this dedicated group.

It was really wonderful to acknowledge the financial support of Creative Taupo and Huckleberry’s Sport’s and Charitable Society Inc. again this year because without this help our students would certainly not have an opportunity to be involved in such a dynamic challenge for dance/performing arts.

Well done to all of those whose lives our entry touched whether it was through performance, costumes, set, props, paperwork, bus driving or as part of the audience. We enjoyed the reward as much as the creation. Fingers crossed we have the opportunity for more of the same next year.

Stage Challenge 2008

Stage Challenge provides a unique opportunity for teachers and students to work collectively towards a positive goal and learn about the benefits of a healthy mind, being 100% drug free, 100% smoke free and 100% alcohol free.  Our school entered in the ‘RAW’ category this year as we were first time entrants with delivery of our final performance being held in June in Rotorua.  For the largest part, rehearsals were outside of school teaching times.

Smokefree stage challenge covered 13 venues giving 147 high schools or 15, 557 participants the opportunity to be involved in some way, and an expected audience of more than the 2006 total of 24, 620! For our first year, we had 47 students participating which was wonderful.

Our entry, ‘Warrior Mountains’ was an original piece of work involving dance, design and drama which reflected the persona of the mountains fighting for the love of Pihanga, adapted from the local myth by Tawhero and Ngapera Haitana.

Staff, students and whanau worked tirelessly to produce beautiful costumes under the guidance of Mrs Lumley.  Mrs Marquet and Mrs Dempsey supported our efforts through rehearsal and doing the endless amounts of paperwork that needed to be done.  Huckleberry’s Sport and Charitable Society Incorporated made the event financially possible and without their support this project would not have been able to get off the ground.

The final mention of acknowledgements must certainly go to the students whose energy, enthusiasm and willingness to participate makes the hours of staff time really and truly worth the effort.  Thank you guys and gals for a truly wonderful experience and I hope to work with you all again next year.

Oh, and did I mention how well our team did on the night??? We scooped 9 awards in the RAW division! Not bad for first timers.  We got a special mention from the judges too which ‘set a new standard not only for the RAW division but also for the Open division!”  Well done people.

Drama/Media Studies

Students in the Drama/Dance /Media Studies option have the opportunity to broaden their horizons through participation and attendance to outside performances put on by a wide range of performers. 

2009 has seen our students attend a live stage production ‘Letter to Blanchy’ in Hamilton, performed by well-known actors David McPhail and John Gadsby, Tutus on Tour in Taihape performed by the New Zealand Royal Ballet, Disco Inferno an outstanding performance produced by their peers at Taupo-Nui-A-Tia College, Cirque Du Soleil or Circus of the Sun, an International travelling show in Auckland and their own performance in Stage Challenge 2009 in Rotorua.

Students in the Drama/Dance/Media Studies class are currently rehearsing for our end of year stage production, an adaptation of ‘The Tin Soldier’ due for an audience in October.  Rehearsals have been a lot of fun so far and with the addition of a few other students our cast has been set. It is our intention to perform for our tamariki so look out for the posters and flyers early October.