All children have imagination and a natural physicality. Standouts provides a fun, relaxed environment for the imagination to reign free and laughter to ring out as children explore creative expression through drama, dance and singing.
Drama
At Standouts we encourage creative expression. Through this, children develop a deeper understanding of their world and become better equipped to navigate their way through challenges that life may present. Our drama classes incorporate elements of creative drama such as mime, improvisation and storytelling aswell as the performance of poetry and plays. We have fun, relaxed performances every term – a great way to build confidence.
Dance
Dance at Standouts is a fun, creative outlet for imagination and emotion. Feelings can be expressed with immediacy through dance and movement. Through dance, children develop a greater range of movement whilst developing the ability to work within a space. Our creative dance classes guide children in the creation of choreography, developed as a result of decisions and choices they’ve made during exploration of movement.
Singing
Standouts singing classes enable all children to come together to create something special. Not only does singing build confidence and engage emotions; it helps to develop our memories too: from remembering lyrics to remembering a cue to start singing, our brains learn to handle more. At Standouts we creatively explore many different styles of music and songs. We love singing together at Standouts!
Our Saturday classes are held during term time and combine drama, dance and singing in each session. They are jam-packed with fun, creativity and plenty of opportunities to perform!
Morning Class: 4 – 6 years 11am – 12:30pm
Afternoon Class: 7 – 14 years 1pm – 4pm
Term Dates 2024
Term 1 Sat 10th Feb – Sat 13th April
Term 2 Sat 4th May – Sat 29th June
Term 3 Sat 27th July – Sat 21st Sept
Term 4 Sat 19th Oct – Sat 14th Dec
Standouts Holiday Workshops are intensive but immensely fun 4 day programmes for 6-14 year olds where we get a show on the road in just 4 days. No experience is necessary- just plenty of imagination, energy and enthusiasm!
Programmes 2024/2025
December 2024
Tues 17- Fri 20
January 2025
Tues 14-Fri 17
Tues 21-Fri 24
April 2025
Mon 14-Thurs 17
Tues 22-Thurs 24 (3 day prog.)
July 2025
Tues 1-Fri 4
Tues 8-Fri 11
Sept/Oct 2025
Tues 23-Fri 26
Tues 30- Fri 3
" A huge thanks for soo many years of enormous instruction, performance and community which you and your Standouts Team have continued to deliver all the time for our daughter, helping making her into the all rounded beautiful person she is. "
— Zane, Wellington
Standout – noun, adj: A remarkable, notable or outstanding person or thing.
Creativity
At Standouts we celebrate and encourage creative thinking. As Einstein said: Logic will get you from A to B but imagination will take you everywhere…
Confidence
Participating in Performing Arts builds confidence. Standouts gives gives kids confidence to stand up and stand out!
Communication
Communication between peers is fostered and acclerated at Standouts as children learn to work together as a team.
Inclusivity
We are ‘all inclusive’ at Standouts and provide a safe, happy environment for all children to explore, discover and develop positive self-esteem.
Individuality
We champion individuality at Standouts. Children are free to be themselves (or whoever else they want to be!)
Fun
Standouts is fun! We have relaxed, fun, pressure free performances in the hall every term and during the holidays.
" My children love Standouts. They enjoy singing, dancing and drama, and Standouts brings it all together for them in one place. Gemma and her teaching team are fabulous and inspirational. "
— Sarah, Wellington
Why fit in when you were born to Standout! (Dr Seuss)
Gemma Shapleski
Drama
Gemma founded Standouts in 2008 with good pal and dance teacher extraordinaire Pagan Dorgan.
Gemma has taught Drama and Voice for over 15 years and is a passionate advocate of the value of arts in education. She has worked with small humans to near-grown ones from all over Wellington and has prepared hundreds of individuals and groups for Trinity College London graded exams and teaching diplomas.
Gemma loves literature and the process of going from page to stage. She has written, adapted and directed many loved books, stories and poetry for the Standouts stage.
Someone once said that Gemma is like glue: not just because she gets attached to things but because she holds everything together at Standouts. She’s sticking round too!
Vourneen Canning
Dance
Vee’s training in classical ballet, contemporary, jazz and acro during her childhood in Sydney, led to her crossing the Tasman to study at the New Zealand School of Dance here in Wellington. Vee graduated with a diploma in contemporary dance in 2019 and we welcomed her to our team.
Unstoppable Vee has also coached soccer, parkour and trampolining. She is truly a human dynamo.
Vee aims to set students up with clever choreographic tools so they can be master builders of their own choreography. Vee is also tuned in to current trends and as a result her choreographic work is always fresh and fun.
When not on the go, Vee enjoys singing, song-writing, theatre, yoga, baking, playing with dogs and cups of tea. (We have a sneaky suspicion she is able to do everything at the same time too!)
Emma Davey
Singing
Emma made her first mellifluous recording at age 2 and hasn’t stopped singing since.
She graduated from Whitieria Polytechnic in 1997 with a Diploma in Contemporary and Commercial Rock (majoring in vocals). In 2016 Emma up-graded her Diploma to a Degree.
Over the years, Emma has performed with artists as varied as David Feehan Band, Disco Divas and The Balkanistas. From private functions, to food and wine festivals; WOMAD to WOW; Emma has sung her way around the country.
In 2015 she released her first solo album The Court of Love which her friends and family said very nice things about. Not one to blow her own trumpet, we think Emma is tops and always look forward to her dulcet voice joining us on Saturday afternoons and throughout our holiday weeks.
When not gigging Emma coaches vocals privately.
Alec Katsourakis
Dance
Melburnian Alec graduated from the New Zealand School of Dance in 2019 . He is passionate about making dance an enjoyable and stress-free outlet for imagination, creativity and emotion.
Alec has worked as a performer with Chloe Loftus Dance Company (UK) as well as being the Director of Photography for a dance film by Hungarian choreographer Balazs Busa.
Alec has a keen interest in cross-disciplinary art practice and merges dance and theatre seamlessly to make his dance classes hugely fun and accessible for all our young performers at Standouts.
" Gosh we were very impressed with the play. How fortunate the children are to have such talented, dedicated teachers.I think your drama school is the best kept secret in Wellington! "