Thursday, October 5, 2017
OPOTIKI tap dancer Letisha White has one year to prepare herself for the nationals, which will be held in October 2018. Photo Sven Carlsson OB3085-01
Sven Carlsson
OPOTIKI College student Letisha White has been nominated to attend a national tap dancing competition one year ahead of the event.
The 14-year-old, who started tap dancing at age five, said she had planned to attend up to six tap dancing competitions over the next 12 months in the hope of getting nominated for the nationals, which takes place in October next year.
“But I got nominated in the first event,” she said.
Letisha was the only tap dancer to be nominated from 30 tap dancing contestants during the Gisborne Festival of Performing Arts, held last weekend.
Mother and dance teacher Catriona White said the Performing Arts Competition Association of New Zealand held tap dancing and ballet competitions every second year, with the interleaving years being for jazz dancing.
“The competition is called the National Young Performers Competition, affectionately known as the nationals,” she said.
“It’s the pinnacle of dancing in New Zealand.”
A total of 40 tap dancers would be nominated to next year’s nationals and one year out from the competition Letisha was nominated even though she’s only 14 years old.
“She will fit the competition age requirement of 15 to 21 years next year.”
Mrs White said she was teaching only her daughter at the moment.
“We get the choreography for Letisha’s dances from a woman at Papamoa,” she said.
Letisha was nominated on merit by the Gisborne judges.
“There was no obligation for the judges to nominate anybody,” Mrs White said.
The next 12 months will involve “lots of practice”.
During the nationals next year, Letisha will perform three dances.
One of those is unknown, as it will be revealed by a judge during a master class.
“The judge will show you, and then you have to perform it,” Letisha said.
Of the two dances she can select herself, one will be a three-speed dance.
“This is a dance that’s performed in three different tempos,” Letisha said.
“The other one is yet to be decided.”