Arts

Tēnā koutou katoa

It has been a busy time in the Drama department preparing eight groups of students for the SGCNZUOSW Regional Shakespeare Festival Auckland West. Last Sunday we took to the road and ventured over to Kristin College’s Dove theatre to showcase our mahi. It has been an absolute pleasure supporting these performers in rehearsal and performance during this annual festival. More to follow in the update from our HOD of Drama Robert Pollock.

Next term brings with it new and exciting Arts opportunities. Watch this space!

SGCNZUOSW Regional Shakespeare Festival Auckland West (Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand, University of Otago Sheilah Winn)

This year we had 29 students participating in the regional festival. The casts were:

Year 9

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act V Scene i. Maxine Allen, Lydia Friend, Lola Hodgetts, Kaya Locke, Annie Jordan, Friday Wigley

Much Ado About Nothing Act III Scene i.  Loxley Clark, Lucie Harrison, Poppy Thomas

Year 10

Twelfth Night Act I Scene iii.  Louis Buxton, Eve Galbraith, Charlotte Kempster

 Year 11

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act III Scene ii. Arlo Bennett, Finley Thomas, Georgia Tottenham, Thomas Welch

Twelfth Night Act III Scene iv. Ruby Barr, Pete Clark, Elly Mae Rawson, Barnaby Salmon, Charlie Ullrich

As You Like It Act III Scene ii. Maisie Foreman, Morgan Jeffery

Year 12

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act III Scene ii. Katie Guenzel-Reilly, Sofia Roger Williams Sophia Mangelsdorf, Nina Somerville

Year 13

Macbeth Act I Scene vi. Jamie Daly-Jones, Izzy Christie

The students gave up a large part of their Saturday for final rehearsals and we were up at sunrise Sunday morning to get packed and bused out to Kristin School bright and early. The scenes were performed with verve and commitment and it was a pleasure and a delight to be in the audience watching our students own the stage. I commend all the students on their efforts. Nearly all these scenes were student directed and with so many juniors and year 11 students we have some great scenes to look forward to next year and beyond!

The Year 9  A Midsummer Night’s Dream won Best Costume Design

The Year 13  Macbeth won Best Connection Between Two Actors

Sophia Mangelsdorf won Most Promising Actor

Many thanks to Sam Rawnsley and Kayleigh Haworth for supporting the students through a busy term and a very busy weekend.

Ngā mihi

Robert Pollock – HOD Drama

This term has seen some amazing choreography and performance skills growing in the dance department! The year 9 students finished off dance this term by presenting their Ocean Waves group movement as a class. It has been wonderful to see the growth in personal skills, group skills and openness to learning in dance over the term.  I am looking forward to seeing many of these creative movers back to perform later in the year in our Junior Arts Festival.

The year 10 dance students have just completed a taster unit, sampling styles such as Ballet, House Dance, Locking, Bob Fosse Jazz and a Shakespearean Jig! It has been wonderful to share this learning with this class and outside guest tutors Megan Adams and Anitra Hayday.

The senior dance students have been working hard towards their NCEA assessment work. Most performing this week for choreography and performance assessments. It is always great to see the focus and energy that these passionate students bring to their work and we encourage them to keep this up throughout the year!

Noho ora mai

Samantha Wood Rawnsley – Assistant HOD Dance

Greetings from Rangitoto

Beginning 2021 we celebrated the incredible work of all our Y13 leavers and outstanding scholars Art for their efforts with External Assessment. Congratulations goes to Jamie Heathcote and Caspian Rive who were rewarded for their exceptional work in Art Design and Art Photography with an NZQA Scholarship. To add to this, Jamie Heathcote’s Illustrative Design Portfolio has been selected to tour around New Zealand in the NZQA TopArt Folio Exhibition alongside the illustrative work of Stella Fogorelli.

TopArt – Illustrative Art Design by Jamie Heathcote and Stella Fogorelli

We’d also like to acknowledge the effort of students getting going in Art this year as ‘learning with lockdown’ definitely can be a challenge. The junior classes have been actively involved in online classes with Y9 turning in fantastic plans for their first pattern-based sgrafitto works whilst Y10 have simplified and stylized photographs for illustrative portraits influenced by Pop Artist Roy Lichtenstein.  Meanwhile, in the senior school students are all engaged in learning skills and conventions for Drawing standards in Art Painting, Design and Photography with Art History involved in responding to work and analysis.

We’re encouraging Y13 students to get involved with Level 3 Scholarship and have been impressed with interest so far. If students missed out given the challenges of recent weeks we encourage them to see the Y13 Academic Director and Teacher in Charge to advise and assist them in their choices.

Finally, a friendly fee reminder to parents and guardians about the payment of Art and Art History fees for Y10-13.  Our ability to provide relevant EOTC opportunities, the appropriate technical and specialised resources for the year is dependent on your continued support.

Kirsty Britton – Assistant HOD Art