Taking the school play to a new level
“It has been inspiring seeing the commitment of pupils and staff,” says Hermien Potgieter, dance teacher at the Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) in Grahamstown. “It has been a demanding project, yet the commitment and energy poured into the task has been enormous.”
The latest production from the DSG and St Andrew’s College campus is entitled ‘A Grimm Tale’ which is based on ‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses’ but with a contemporary edge. The venue is the Guy Butler Theatre at the Settlers National Monument which mirrors the seriousness and scale of the production.
Potgieter, 26, has recently joined the team of staff at DSG and St Andrew’s College and has herself been an inspiration for pupils. Originally from Cape Town her passion for dance started when she was just a toddler with ballet classes. Her interest continued and she pursued her love of dance with studies at Rhodes University under Gary Gordon and graduated with Honours in Choreography. Currently working with Terry King, she believes that good teachers should always still have a teacher.
“Interest in dance has grown considerably at both the schools through the subject of Arts and Culture which is taken in Grade 8 and 9, so it was decided to run with a production with dance this year,” she said.
The Dance Studio has been filled with the 94 pupils, who are part of the talented cast, most evenings and every weekend for the past three months, under the direction of Potgieter, practising and refining their skills.
This fairy tale has all the elements for great entertainment, pulling all the emotional strings. Audiences can expect an opulent production which includes all dance styles, acting, singing and even some physical theatre.
“It has been a joint collaboration with the music, drama and art departments. Justin Wardle has orchestrated the music which includes works from Tchaikovsky to Britney Spears and he will conduct the DSG and St Andrew’s orchestra,” explains Potgieter. “Bauke Snyman from Drama has designed most of the costumes and Cindy Britz of the Art Department has designed back-drops that will be projected onto set screens.”
The main male lead has been filled by James Hatting, who is also the rugby first team captain. Hatting has incredible acting talent according to Potgieter. The pupils have all risen to the challenge, especially with so much on their plates from academic to sporting commitments.
“I have seen incredible growth in the capabilities of the pupils. Their range has expanded and they have learnt different dance vocabularies,” she said. “There is an air of anxiety and excitement currently since it is a big show but we are confident that audiences will enjoy this interpretation of ‘A Grimm Tale’, which is truly spectacular. It reaches a spectrum of emotions all in one sitting. I hope to challenge people’s ideas of what to expect from a school production.”
Missing Helen8th May 2012
"Missing Helen" will be St Andrew's College and DSG's Dance 2012 Production. Updates on the preparation and production will be posted here.
Ireland Debating Tour4th May 2012
13 College Debaters participated in the St Andrew's Ireland Model United Nations competition in Dublin.
