Kiwi kids dance for a good cause

5 July 2016
Press release

Kiwi kids dance for a good cause

On Monday 4 July three schools across New Zealand were announced the winners of national dance contest Dance4Asthma. The contest shines a light on New Zealand’s appalling asthma statistics and encourages kids to be active and healthy.

The winning schools and categories are Ranui Primary School (Auckland) -Primary, Tawa Intermediate (Wellington) - Intermediate and Central Hawke’s Bay College (Hawke’s Bay) - Secondary. All three schools will be presented with their prize of $1000 at each school’s assembly at the start of Term 3.

Currently in its fifth year, Dance4Asthma attracted well known singer Lorde to donate her song “Team” to the campaign. TV personality Erin Simpson and dancer and choreographer Allister Salaivao joined as judges.

"Having asthma should never hold you back. That's why I love this competition - no matter what your capabilities anyone can get in and give it a go," says Erin Simpson, who has asthma herself.

Throughout May and June, schools were invited to put together a dance video to the 2016 Dance4Asthma song "Team" and post it on YouTube.

Teresa Demetriou, the Foundation’s education manager says “It’s great to see so many young people increasing awareness of the condition. We want all our kids to be confident, healthy and participating fully at school, and every year this competition helps us do this in a fun way.”

Jade Hanham, a drama teacher from Central Hawke’s Bay College who coordinated her school’s video, said “The students are so stoked to have won! They had a lot of fun putting their video together.”

Raphael Aduna from Ranui Primary said the win was fantastic news, saying “when I announced it over the speaker the whole school was buzzing. We’re extremely pleased!”

In New Zealand 1 in 7 children have asthma, and it’s estimated that 550,000 school days a lost each year to the illness.

Click here for a list of all the schools that entered.

Click here to see all Dance4Asthma videos from 2016.

ENDS

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