Performing Arts

Communicating with the Specialist Team

We look forward to partnering with you in 2024, and welcome your input:

Penelope Lang (Performing Arts) penelope.lang@education.vic.gov.au 

Wominjeka!

Mitch Tambo - School Visit

Well what an INCREDIBLE concert!!!!

Last week, Mitch Tambo entertained our whole school for almost an hour. We sang, danced, jumped and laughed as he shared his incredible talent, language and life story with us. It was great to see the pure joy, intrigue and wonder on the faces of our students as they interacted with Mitch. It was such a fantastic opportunity for all of us to connect through the power of music. 

Mitch is a very proud Gamilaraay man, and it was so special to hear him speak and sing in is language. We learnt the names of various animals and phrases including:

• Yaluu - Again, I will see you again 
• Guwaali Yilaa - Talk Soon 
• Yanay wungali - I’m going but I will return 

Mitch then met with 30 lucky students in a Yarning Circle where he shared stories about his family (he has 4 daughters!), his culture and his career (before and after Australia's Got Talent). Some fun things we learnt about Mitch:

His favourite food is steak

He went to University to become a Social Worker

He used to work in an operating theatre helping surgeons

If he wasn't a singer he would travel around delivering cultural shows

He only started singing because a friend told him he should

The focus for him has always been about his culture and history not fame

He plays multiple musical instruments but his favourite is the Digeridoo

His favourite animal is the Kangaroo

Minutes before he was about to sing on Australia's Got Talent he forgot ALL the words to the song (he gets very nervous before performing)

He reminds himself how lucky he is to be doing what he does and that makes him less nervous

He drinks peppermint tea

The best thing that has ever happened to him was becoming a dad

His wife is also a singer and they have just released a song together

Before the concert, Mitch was interviewed on 3MDR radio. The full interview can be heard at:

https://www.3mdr.com/special-episodes/

Whole School Production - Cinderella and Rockerfella 

AUGUST 7th and 8th - Burrinja Cultural Centre 

Thank you to Mrs Haines for this marvellous creation!

Come and have your photo taken in our front reception area!

Costumes

All costume requirements for our Term 3 whole school production have now been sent home via Compass. I have attached this information again (below) in case you have missed it. Our dress rehearsals will be held in week 3. Your child will attend ONE dress rehearsal only. More information will be sent home next term.  Remember you can always share a costume with another child in the class who is performing on a different night from your child. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to drop me an email or pop into the Performing Arts room and say hello.

What you need to provide:

Foundation: All students need to provide the bottom half of their costume, namely black jeans, black leggings, black pants or a black skirt (if wearing a skirt please also wear black tights). We are providing the top and various accessories. Please also provide plain black shoes and socks. Your child also needs to provide their own teddy bear on the night and the FINALE outfit (see below)

Year One: All students are dressing up as cow boys and cow girls. Please provide denim jeans or denim skirts or even denim overalls (only BLUE denim). On the top please provide a checked shirt (long or short sleeved in ANY colour). Feel free to add any cowboy hats, belts, cowboy boots etc. Black shoes and socks are also OK. They will also need the FINALE outfit (see below).

Year Two: The students are dressing up as Cinderella’s pets. They need to come dressed up as an animal of their choice. This could be in the form of a onesie (shoes must be worn to avoid slipping), animal print clothes (ie full leopard print) or a traditional dress up. Students should wear comfortable shoes that they can dance in. They will also need the FINALE outfit (see below).

Year Three/Four: Boys: Please provide BLUE ripped denim jeans, short sleeved BLACK t-shirt, black shoes and socks. We will be providing some extra accessories.

Girls: Black skirts with a pair of black knee-high socks and ankle boots or suitable black shoes. Bike pants can be worn under skirts (leggings can be an option if necessary). We will be providing a t-shirt as well as some extra accessories. Students will also need the FINALE outfit (see below).

Year Five/Six: Most costume items will be provided. A note will be sent home IF anything extra is required. Backstage crew will need to wear all black. Our school production t-shirt is also suitable for crew to wear.

Finale Outfit:

For the Production finale we would like all students (except for 5/6s as there is not enough time to get changed) to wear something SPECTACULAR. Think ‘party/disco’ outfit or something bright and sparkly that your child might wear to a special family occasion like a wedding or party. Please make sure your child can still dance in their outfit. If this is not something your child has in their wardrobe then please just provide a BRIGHT top that they can change into (whilst keeping their bottoms from their class costume). If possible, please avoid anything with a trademark image on (Batman, Spiderman, Minecraft, Nike, Monster Trucks etc) and aim for bright fun colours. Please no football or sporting jumpers/beanies and no crop tops. Imagine your child is going to Cinderella’s ball! Please do not hesitate to contact me (or your child’s teacher) with any questions.

Technical Rehearsals

Please make sure you go on to Compass to consent and pay for your child's 'excursion' to Burrinja for our technical rehearsal. Your child will attend ONE technical rehearsal only on either the 5th August or the 6th August.

Closer to our production I will also put the call out for some backstage helpers, people to assist with hair and character makeup, photographers and people to help us 'bump out' and pack a truck after the last show. Please reach out if you want to be involved.

Victorian State School's Spectacular 2024

Last week we had a very exciting dance rehearsal, the last one at our school for this years' VSSS. Our next rehearsal is our mass HUB rehearsal at HE Parker reserve. Please make sure you have gone onto Compass to consent to this excursion (or decline). It is the school closure day. We have been asked to wear some of our costumes on this day (jeans and shoes, Joy T-shirts and VSSS t-shirt). I will remind you about this closer to the day. The dancers have been hard at work designing part of their costume for VSSS. Such multi-talented individuals. Big thanks to Mrs Haines for supporting our students with this task.

The VSSS hoodie can still be purchased online (see below). Please note that they do not form part of the compulsory uniform and are an optional extra. Students can wear them to school if they wish but please make sure they are named.

Our next rehearsals are as follows:

9th August - Hub rehearsal at HE Parker Sports Complex Heathmont  (please note the date and location change. This is also the school closure day)

12th and 13th September - technical and dress rehearsal at John Cain Arena

14th September - Performance day/night

Instrumental Lessons

At the end of this page is information about our school's Instrumental Program that is run by Groove Foundations. We offer lessons on most instruments and have an outstanding team of musicians who deliver this program to over 100 students. The first 'trial' lesson is free of charge and your child will get the opportunity to perform in an end of year instrumental concert if they want to. Feel free to contact Jordan Scotney who would be happy to answer any of your questions.

School Choir

Junior and Senior choir have now started. The Senior choir meets every Wednesday and the Junior choir meets every Thursday. Please note that sometimes, due to other events taking place in the school, the choir times will be changed. Very occasionally I will have to call lunchtime rehearsals so we can catch up on missed singing time. I have noticed that some students still do not have a plastic wallet or binder with pockets. They need this so that they can collect the lyric sheets for the songs we are singing. We hope you enjoyed our beautiful performance of the beautiful Indigenous lullaby, "Inanay".

Learning in Performing Arts

Foundation:

The students have continued to learn their songs and dances for our school production. It has been great to see many of them bring their own teddy bears into school for our rehearsals. Don't forget, all students will need a teddy bear next term in the lead up to our dress and technical rehearsals and then for performance night. We are also needing bears that look as 'traditional' as possible (see pictures below). The students are now working on the choreography for the school finale and it has been wonderful to watch their confidence grow over the last few months. We have some little rock stars ready to entertain you. 

Year One and Two:

The students in Years One and Two have been making great progress on their two songs and dances for our whole school production, 'Cinderella and Rockerfella'. I can confirm that the students in Year One have the fastest dance in the show and they have been doing a fabulous job at learning and remembering all of their super speedy dance steps. Thanks to Mrs Hall and Mr McFarlane for supporting them back in their classrooms. The Year Two students were very excited to meet Cinderella (aka Nora and Mila) during Performing Arts lessons as she joined their song and dance. There is something very special about when the actors meet the dancers across the different year levels for the very first time. We will do more of this next term. The students have been discussing the difference between a dress rehearsal and a technical rehearsal and have now been given their line places.

Year Three and Four:

The students in Year Three and Four have continued to make amazing progress with their class item for our whole school production, 'Cinderella and Rockerfella'. Ms Bowles has kindly assisted me in cutting together two songs for our rock band mash up. We have now locked in the line positions which really helps students find their own space on the 'stage'. Next term the students will start rehearsing as 'night 1' and 'night 2' and we will start fitting some costumes and working with props. We enjoyed some interesting post performance conversations about Mitch Tambo and had fun playing the drama game 'Wah-Tree'.

Year Five and Six:

The actors have continued to meet with me (or Ms Oliver) every Friday to go through their scenes. They were very excited to see their costumes and props for the first time. The energy has certainly lifted! Some students would benefit from working on their parts over the holidays so we can finally put our scripts down and start using our whole bodies to act. Please check in with your child and see how they are going with learning their lines. It would be extremely helpful if they could rehearse (out aloud) with another person. This will help them to recall their lines as well as their cues. During the holidays we will be taking delivery of all of the sets and these will be assembled in the school gym ready for week 1. Our crew will be kept very busy learning how these sets and props move on and off for each scene.

NAIDOC  Week 

NAIDOC week is celebrated every year during the first week of July. This year it runs between July 7th and 14th. This is during our school holidays so I will look forward to hearing how you celebrated when we come back in term 3. NAIDOC stands for “National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee”. The theme for NAIDOC week this year is “Keep the Fire Burning. Blak, Loud and Proud”. 

NAIDOC week is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians all over the country and overseas. It celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In the words of Mitch Tambo, “It’s like Christmas for our Mob”. Check out the website below to find some events in your local area. 

https://www.naidoc.org.au/local-events/local-naidoc-week-events