Focus on Performing Arts

Learning, Creating & Performing!

It’s a new term, with lots of new and exciting things happening in the Performing Arts department! We are finishing the year with lots of learning, creating and performing.

Foundation and Grades 1 & 2 

A key aspect  of  the Performing Arts curriculum is to be able to use the Arts as a lens into other cultures and stories. We started this term by sharing the story of the Mid-Autumn Festival. How wonderful is it that this coincides with the supermoon sighting. In all three grade levels, we used the story as a form of process drama and acted out the story (with some embellishments.. but what is a tale without one!) in the class. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this with every class, as every class presented the story in a different way with their own personalities, voices and level of sophistication given the various maturities of the year levels. It is the epitome of sharing cultural stories and legends and a wonderful segue to expressing how oral tradition shapes our beliefs. One constant question throughout the process was, “Olivia is this a true story?” 

We followed this by listening to Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin and using the music to choreograph a mirror dance using scarves. Next week we will make an Orff arrangement with the pentatonic scale to the same piece of music. 

My reflection on this unit is how performing arts is so important for whole-brain development. Aspects of literacy was used in this process, movement and focussing skills was pervasive and even counting the number of suns was involved. 

This term our aims for the Foundation students is to create an item to share what they have learnt to their parents. Grade 1s and 2s will also delve into song-writing to create a special item for their departing seniors in Grade 6.  

Grades 3 & 4

So far, we have spent the year in Performing Arts exploring Music and Drama. We will be spending the rest of the year stepping into dance via the fun world of cheerleading (see the photos below). Our prior knowledge of music and drama will be pivotal in choreographing exciting and creative cheers. We have started learning the basic gestures of cheerleading and as the term continues, we will explore formations, canons, repetition, chants and lifts. Before the end of the term, students will create, record and share their own cheers.

Grades 5 & 6

It is all systems go for our Mission Implausible concert on Tuesday 25th November. Rehearsals for speaking parts and singing ensembles have begun. In class, we have selected our songs that we will be choreographing. Please keep an eye on Compass in the coming weeks as more information will be sent home regarding tickets, costumes and the rehearsal and performance times.

Choir and Orchestra

We are looking forward to our Christmas concert at the end of the year. It is our favourite time to share the joy and how far we have come in the year. We are also hoping to share our music with the local community to stay tuned for more information.

~ Olivia Li & Keri Spence, Performing Arts Teachers