From the Co-ordinator of Dance and Drama

Senior Dance and Drama Excursions

There is no better way to motivate and inspire the practical, project and performance development of the Dance and Drama courses than to have industry experience.

Last week we had two excursions to the theatre for our Senior Dance and Drama students to prepare them for their Stage 6 studies.

Callback and Onstage Showcases

On Thursday 13 February the Dance and Drama students went to the ‘Callback’ and ‘Onstage’ showcases held at the Seymour Centre. The performances and projects displayed were a range of exemplary works from the 2024 HSC cohort across NSW. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students, many of them left feeling excited and inspired to make a start on their own projects.

Sydney Theatre Company

Then, on Friday 14 February our Senior Drama students went to Sydney Theatre Company to observe a viewing of a dramatic staged read through of two of their prescribed texts, ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ by Lally Katz’ and the contemporary musical ‘Fan Girls’ by Yves Blake, which are studied in the critical thinking component of the course for the topic of Contemporary Australian Theatre. This gave students the opportunity to view key scenes from these plays and ask questions to the Director and Actors of the show as well as the dramaturg on the production to assist with the analysis of these texts. Thank you to Ms Wenman for organising such a fabulous opportunity for our students and their studies.

Junior School Dance and Drama

What’s happening in the weekly Dance and/or Drama classes in Junior School for Term 1?

Kindergarten

Dance: Students learn basic movement skills, through specific exercises, routines, and strategies.

Drama: Students participate in improvisation games and activities that focus on developing teamwork skills.

Year 1

Dance: Students learn basic anatomy of the human body through movement skills.

Drama: Students participate in improvisation games and activities that aim to build teamwork and self-confidence.

Year 2

Dance: Students continue to work on body and movement skills through dance technique with a greater focus on correct placement.

Drama: Students participate in improvisation games and activities that enhance self-confidence.

Year 3

Dance: Students work on developing body skills & technique through locomotor movement combinations.

Year 4

Dance: Students learn about taking care of the body through the importance of warm up/cool down and how to avoid injury in dance class.

Year 5

During Semester 1, the Year 5 students learn about the interrelation of Dance, and Drama through the study of Musical Theatre. They study the history and development of musical theatre through their studies of dance and are exposed to the aspects of drama through script reading, characterisation, and vocal techniques. The Year 5 classes work collaboratively with peers and teachers to produce a mini musical piece.

Dance: Students observe and learn about dance and dance styles within musicals – how they are used to tell stories [Performance skills- focusing on interpreting and expressing dance]. Learn about the history of musicals. Experience and explore characteristics of various dance styles through appreciation of the historical development and technique classes. For Example: Hip Hop/Lyrical/ Jazz/ Ballet/Tap. Students participate and perform in a mini musical.

Drama: Students participate in a range of practical workshops to develop improvisation skills and promote the ability to communicate meaningful characters, roles, or situations. They will engage in script reading and performing which aim to build self-confidence.

Year 6

In Semester 1 Students learn about collaboration, investigation, and creative processes in dance and drama with a particular emphasis on musical theatre through stage and/or screen. Students will partake in specialised lessons in Dance and Drama and then collaborate with teachers and peers to produce a filmed performance piece.

Dance: Students study the history of Dance on film, Street Dance and Musical Theatre styles, capturing choreography and movement for film. Students observe and analyse choreography within musical theatre productions, exploring how movement supports in communicating a message or story. Students work collaboratively with peers and teachers to develop and perform meaningful movements to communicate a character or theme for stage or film performances.

Drama: Students learn about developing creative narratives through the medium of film. They will study the musical theatre style of performance, learning about characters or role and theatrical production elements to enhance themes and or context. They will learn about developing characters and script reading which they will implement in stage or filmed performance.

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