Vast Dance Festival celebrates the combined talents of high school students in the "Top of the South" region.

The annual performance showcases students from Waimea College, Nayland College, Garin College, Motueka High School, Marlborough College for Girls, Marlborough College for Boys, Nelson College and Nelson College for Girls.

The objectives of Vast Dance Festival are to:
- Provide opportunities for high school students to perform in a professional environment
- Celebrate the wide range of styles taught in our region
- Provide a platform for student choreographers to share their work
- Give students practical experience with lighting, front of house, design and stage management responsibilities

For more information visit http://www.vast.org.nz or Email [email protected]

Peter Pan, a free spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mystical island of Neverland as the leader of the lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native American Indians, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland. Featuring some of our promising ballet dancers in this dramatic and fun filled adventure.

Showcase: Jazz and Contemporary students aged 5-16 years showcase their skill, precision, technique and focus in a variety of dance styles. Concluding with a Finale performance from our very own Rebecca Bignall Boutique Dance Company.

The Showcase demonstrates how hard they have worked this year and clearly they have loved every minute of their performance.

Dance is joyous and contagious! It can happen anywhere, at anytime, with anyone and everyone and Wakatu Dance Theatre dance joins us and pushes us to go further! "There is always an energetic, fun and friendly atmosphere on stage, while maintaining the highest levels of professionalism" Director Peta Spooner

We love to dance and it's contagious!

Once upon a time...is a theatrical extravaganza of some of the world's most well known stories, movies and music of our time. Shown through the mediums of Dance, Drama, Singing, Musical Theatre, Acrobatics, Cheerleading and Music. Performed by the students from A STAR Academy of the Arts and friends. Performers range in age from 3 years to Adult. This event is a fundraiser for the Salvation Army of Nelson, helping them with their good works and long standing provision to the people of Nelson.

A STAR Academy of the Arts is a Performing Arts School for children and adults specialising in the professional training of Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip hop, Drama, Singing, Musical Theatre Preschool, Irish Dance, Cheerleading, Acrobatics, Body Conditioning, Contemporary, Music, and Stage School. Students enjoy exams in all subjects, competitions and regular public performances, All taught by highly qualified tutors. Part time and Fulltime courses available, Visit http://www.astararts.co.nz or Facebook.

The Next Level is a performance brought to you by the Empire Dance Company.

Showcasing our National and International Level Dancers, this show is going to be the Recital event of the year. Empire Dance Company will bring you an evening of Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Musical Theatre and much more.

This will not be a normal Dance Recital, come and enjoy an evening of leading commercial dancing, technically beautiful Ballet work and prepare for Empire Dance Company to take you to The Next Level.

Fargher Academy of Dance presents a dance showcase with talented performers from around the region. Stars of Tomorrow will feature a group of dancers preparing for national competitions in America in July. The dancers are also taking part in the Main Street Parade at Disneyland as well as taking class at Millenium Dance Centre and ALDC.

Dancers will perform Lyrical, Jazz, Contemporary and Classical Ballet pieces, and are aged 9 - 17 years. The show has something for everyone from hi-energy jazz numbers to emotive lyrical pieces and the 'Stars of Tomorrow' look forward to performing to a local audience before travelling overseas.

Curtain Call is a dance production by the Fargher Academy of Dance, showcasing the talents of local dancers. The performance has something for everyone with emotive lyrical and contemporary pieces, high energy jazz dances, the technique and beauty of classical ballet, and show stopping musical theatre numbers.

Special Guest: Sir Jon Trimmer

Reviewed in the Nelson Mail as "a prestigious annual arts event" Louise Hawke presents her Christmas 2015 production of Aurora's Wedding. Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty is the ultimate fairytale ballet. Guest stars will appear from the Royal NZ Ballet, Jacob Chown & Leonora Voigtlander and Tynan J Wood with Katie Hurst-Saxton from the Victoria State Ballet, formerly of the Royal NZ Ballet.

Favorite childhood fairytale characters all dance at this fairy wedding party. Fairies bless the bride, Little Red Ridinghood meets her Wolf, Pussycats preen and purr. The Princess Florine is entranced by her Bluebird in their popular pas de deux, and, of course, the newly-kissed Princess Aurora weds her dreamy Prince Desire in one of the most romantic grands pas de deux of all. In our production we promise a glimpse of honeymoon passion! And…does the Princess prefer her dream to reality?

Performances in 2014 sold to capacity, one extra matinee is on sale this year. Book now! The Up-Close & Classical Company & the Academy of Ballet Arts.

The Net Gen Live! is the brain child of Odie Stratmore-Ching, the Artistic Managing Director for Nelson Youth Theatre. Her passion is to see our young artists succeed with their chosen art forms. The event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their talent and will include: bands, musicians, dancers, singers (groups and soloists) actors, stage challenge, physical theatre and work from visual artists. It’s all about our digital natives – the Net Gen and live performance!

The event’s purpose is to support and nurture the creative spirit of “I CAN” with proceeds funding youth arts programmes, tuition and travel assistance.

What captures our interest when we hear a piece of music? Is it the sound? Or the beat? ...... we think it is the rhythm! So we aim to bring a variety of rhythms that have captured peoples hearts through the generations, making us all ........ a Slave To The Rhythm!