New River Primary Preparing for Polyfest

HAND SIGNALS: Eitiare Tangatakino, 6, moves to the music during rehearsals at New River Primary School in Invercargill. Eitiare was one of 24 pupils getting ready for the 2012 Polyfest at the Civic Theatre from Wednesday to Friday.

Organisers for the 2012 Polyfest are looking forward to months of hard work paying off on the Civic Theatre stage this week.
At the New River Primary School, organiser Lisa Tou-McNoughton watched from the sidelines as 24 children swivelled their hips to the beat of the music, polishing off their moves before their debut on Wednesday.
About 50 groups across Southland and Otago who will be taking part in this year's festival.
It had been rewarding to see both the rural communities as well as Invercargill get on board the event through the years, she said, and seeing the practice time and co-ordinating pay off made it worth it.
Some of the children who will be taking part in Polyfest - including her own - had grown up performing in the event, she said.
"We're really looking forward to this - the community involvement so far has been wonderful."
The St Patrick's Polyfest group is doing a pre-Polyfest performance for the Elston Lea Kindergarten today at 11am, at St Patrick's in View St.
The Polyfest Cultural Festival will be at the Civic Theatre from Wednesday to Friday.
Tickets are gold-coin entry.