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Performing Arts is about expressing humanity in its most direct form.

We aim to provide a platform on which relevant, real-life learning can occur in Music, Dance, and Drama – interweaving curriculum and co-curricular areas to make Performing Arts an integral part of school culture.

Performing Arts is divided into three main academic subjects – Music, Dance, and Drama.

Music offers a wide variety of academic and practical skills across all year levels. Year 9 Core Music offers students a chance to specialise in Rock, Chamber, Guitar, Keyboard, Big Band, Symphonic Band, Performing Arts and Voice classes, as well as choosing Music as one of their Option Subjects. In Years 10 to 13, students can follow either the Contemporary Music or the Music Performance course. 

Our diverse Music Tuition Programme gives students the opportunity to take instrumental, vocal or music technology lessons during school time from our team of expert itinerant tutors. 

Dance uses kinaesthetic learning and physical activity to explore artistic concepts. It is predominantly a practical subject with hands-on learning, but also incorporates relevant theoretical information. Students will learn a range of styles including Jazz, Hip Hop, Social Dance, Musical Theatre, Cultural and Contemporary Dance, as well as how to choreograph and collaborate on group and solo works.

Drama combines the practical skills of performing with the learning of dramaturgical concepts in a range of contexts within a highly collaborative environment. From Year 9 to Year 13, students will explore a range of drama/theatre forms including mime/movement, improvisation, devising and scripted work. In senior classes, there is additional focus on technical aspects such as lighting, costume and set design. The self-confidence and communication skills developed in Drama will carry over into other subjects, allowing students to perform more strongly in presentation style tasks.

Dancing is the only thing in the world that lets you lose yourself and find yourself at the same time. Dance for me is something I will be doing for the rest of my life, knowing this I selected dance at school without a second thought. The dance teachers at Rangitoto College push you to your limits to unlock your full potential both as a dancer and as a choreographer. Through dance I have been able to broaden my styles of dance and my knowledge of dance history. Even as the only male dancer in my year level, I have been able to make strong friendships that I know will last for the rest of my school life.
- Jack Hagan, Year 11 Dance

Markus Fritsch

Magister Artium (Master of Arts) Degree in Music, Literature and Political Science from Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum (Germany) Diploma of Teaching from Auckland College of Education

Since moving to New Zealand in 1996, I taught in several schools before settling at Rangitoto College in 2007. As a practicing saxophonist, I have played in the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, The Manukau Symphony Orchestra, The Prohibition Big Band, The Jazz Experience Big Band, and have been a member of the renowned Auckland Saxophone Quartet for the last 12 years.