YouDance is an annual dance festival for Auckland’s young adult dancers. This is a three-night showcase where students from across our city come together and celebrate our genuine passion for dance, in a professional theatre setting.

As a group of young performers, YouDance is hugely beneficial for us. During our technical rehearsals, we get the opportunity to be an audience for the dancers from other schools and share our ideas. Being able to see other works of the same caliber is always inspiring, and helps us to grow as dancers, choreographers and as performers.

There is always excitement and a lot of emotion around these shows, but it really is the sense of unity and support as we come together as a group of schools, as a cast, that makes YouDance the success that it is. We all have a common goal – to learn from each other, display our talents and passions and to push ourselves as individuals. Each afternoon before our shows, we have a mass warm-up together as a cast – not only does this prepare our minds and bodies for the show, it helps us strengthen the new bonds we make as a group of dancers.

Rutherford brought four pieces to YouDance this year – “Crestfallen” (choreographed and performed by Sydney Magnus and Rachel Jeung), “Lucid” (Choreographed by Miss Exeter and performed by Year 13 dance), “Motley Crew” ( A choreographic collaboration between Miss Exeter, Tai Toniu and Rodney Tyrell, performed by year 12 dance) and “38th Parallel” (Choreographed by Rachel Jeung).

As Rutherford’s senior dancers, we have put a significant amount of time and energy into producing our best works. However, we can’t do this without some extra support. We would all like to thank Mrs. Cummings, Mrs. Betanzo and Mr. Thompson for their continued commitment to our dance department.