Performing Arts 

Welcome back to Performing Arts for Term 1!

Yes, in a change to the usual programme we are kicking off the year with Performing Arts instead of Visual Arts. This is to make covering my maternity leave easier. Mrs Kim Jones-Denholm will be taking over in Term 2, covering 2 terms of Visual Arts and 1 term of music. This term will be split between Dance and Drama.

Foundation

In Foundation we are exploring different types of movements to create and perform dances based on the theme of "Rain". We are learning to control our travelling and on-the-spot movements to dance safely. Later in the term we will be learning that Drama is about using our whole body to tell a story. We will be exploring facial expressions, body language, action, and voice and combining them to retell a known story.

Year 1 and Year 2

Our Dance unit in Year 1 and 2 is focused on matching dance moves to different rhythms. We will explore how changing our energy can give different movements emphasis. Each class will choreograph a sequence of dance movements using rhythms built from the names of students in the class. In Drama we will continue to develop skills in non-verbal communication through body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. We will also explore the use of hats to symbolise different characters and emotions.

Year 3/4 

Middle school students are exploring the social and cultural context of line dancing, learning and choreographing routines to music. Students will also develop their understanding of the elements of Dance (Body, Energy, Space, and Time) through viewing a variety of dances, and beginning to consider how the choreographer uses these elements to communicate ideas to the audience. The Drama unit will be focused on interpreting scripted drama. Students will be working in small groups to develop their use of expression and movement to advance the action and engage the audience.

Year 5 and Year 6

In Year 5 and 6 we are dancing through the decades, exploring and comparing popular dances over the last hundred years. Students will practise and perform some set routines as well as choreographing their own routines in a given style. For Drama, Year 5 and 6 will be reading "The Legend of Moondyne Joe" by Mark Greenwood and Frane Lessac, and engaging in Process Drama to further explore life in colonial Australia. Process Drama uses role play and improvisation to develop characters, themes, and deeper understanding of dramatic devices and techniques. 

I am looking forward to seeing the students' creativity develop over the course of this term!

Nicola Lane

Arts Specialist