The dance school was established in 1949 and a full school production has been performed almost every year since then.
The school production team involves everyone: all students, teachers, keen parents and a sound and lighting gang.
All students are encouraged to experience live theatre and perform on stage at the Masterton Town Hall during the spring term.
Term 3 classes are full on with choreography, theatre skills, costuming, production rehearsals and photographs. It is a most exciting and rewarding part of the year. All students look upon this phase of the year as a real highlight.
The dance school was established in 1949 by Miss Geraldine Inder and called it:
'The Geraldine Inder School of Dancing and Dramatic Art'.
Currently Geraldine has 65 years of teaching experience and has spent many years adjudicating throughout New Zealand, producing plays, acting and dancing in local theatre.
Miss Inder, as she is affectionately called, has gained a number of high level dance and speech qualifications: ATCL; Teachers and Judges Diploma for Highland and National Dancing; RAD Life member; Associate Membership in Ballroom Dancing (Latin and Ballroom) degrees and is a Teaching member of the NZAMD.
On leaving College she was persuaded by her parents to join the Masterton accounting firm Sellar and Sellar. She worked there for two years and with the skills developed she still does the school's bookkeeping.
In 1947 she became a member of 'Little Theatre' (now Harlequin), and a foundation member of Masterton Amateur Theatrical Society in 1952 when it was re-formed after WW2.
At the end of the dance school's inaugural year Geraldine produced her first Ballet and Dance recital, called 'Death of a Maiden'. It contained 28 Items and was held at the Masterton Regent Theatre and reviewed favourably by the Wairarapa Times-Age.
The Times-Age wrote:
'The pupils of the Geraldine Inder School of Dancing closed its concert season in Masterton last night at the Regent Theatre. The programme was bright and varied and all the items were warmly applauded. Pupils from Greytown, Featherston and Masterton took part in the recital. The beautiful frocking and scenery was very favourably commented upon by members of the audience.'
In 1950 Miss Inder introduced the Wairarapa to internatinally accredited Royal Academy of Dance examinations in Classical Ballet. This was later followed with examinations in Tap, Contemporary, Jazz and Hip Hop. She hosted the initial meeting for the NZ Speech Board.
Miss Inder has taught Ballroom Dancing to every College in Masterton and is still involved in with the lessons for St Matthews and Rathkeale Colleges.
At Rathkeale she was awarded The John Norman Memorial Medal for her long assocaiation and service to dance with the College.
When Geraldine's daughter, Nicola, left school she trained as a dance teacher and in 1984 joined the school as co-director.
Geraldine was awarded the Civic Award in 1998 and the Queens Service Medal (QSM) in 2007 for services to dance.
