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!

Whole School Production

All of our Year 5/6 actors have now been given their scripts. It would be great if they could start learning their lines over the school holidays so we can be ready to start our acting rehearsals as soon as possible. Acting rehearsals will be in the Performing Arts room every FRIDAY during sessions 3 and 4. Students will only be called out of class when we are rehearsing their actual scene. I am very lucky to have Ms Oliver assist me with the rehearsals this year. We can't wait to get started.

Parent Helpers

We will be looking for some parent (or grandparent) helpers to assist us with costume co-ordination and some simple sewing tasks for our whole school production. It would be great if we could have a few helpers from each level. If you think you could help with this can you please send me an email (address is above) and include the name of your child and whose class they are in.

Closer to our production I will also put the call out for some backstage helpers. Watch this space.

Victorian State School's Spectacular 2024

As you are probably aware, our school has been fortunate enough to participate in the VSSS most years since 2014. We are usually in the mass choir or mass dance ensemble but sometimes we have had students participate as backstage crew. I would LOVE to encourage anyone who is interested in applying to participate either as a musician or backstage crew member to jump onto the VSSS webpage and follow the links to apply.

VIDEO Audition registration for MUSICIANS is now open. Please go onto the VSSS webpage and click on Register Now!

In particular, we're looking for the following instruments:

Bass Clarinet, Bass Trombone, Cello, Double Bass, Flute, Oboe, Percussion, Viola, Violin

There is also still space to join the Drumline (more information online)

Registration for Backstage Crew is now open

If you're interested in getting involved behind the scenes in AUDIO, LIGHTING, VISION or STAGE MANAGEMENT please go onto the VSSS webpage and click on Register Now!

Expressions of Interest (EOI) for First Nations Ensemble are also now open

Please keep an eye on the VSSS Dance google classroom page for our new dance tutorials. As soon as I receive them I will place them on our page for your child to learn. Our next rehearsals are as follows:

14th May - rehearsal at school

20th June - rehearsal at school

5th August - hub rehearsal at Officer Secondary College

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. 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. Please use the school holidays to purchase one of these so your child is prepared for term 2. We hope you loved their performance at assembly today.

     Learning in Performing Arts

Foundation:

The students have continued to work on their drama skills and have practised using different voices that match their facial expressions. They used their 'speaking voice', 'sad voice',  'happy voice',  'angry voice' and noticed how the pitch of their voice changed when they acted out these emotions. We used our stage blocks to talk about entering, bowing and exiting a performance space and learnt the difference between stage left and stage right. We celebrated Harmony Day by listening to the song, 'Everyone Belongs' and listened to, 'Advance Australia Fair' in preparation for our next assembly.

Year One and Two:

The students enjoyed sharing stories of their cultural connections during our Harmony Day celebrations. It was great to hear about all of the different countries where students had relatives living, the different languages spoken in some homes and the special foods that are eaten. We listened to a beautiful song called, 'Everyone Belongs' and 'Hands Across Australia' and connected this back to 'folk dancing' and the important role of music and dance in celebrating one's culture. The Year 2 students had some fun learning to play 'Hot Cross Buns' on our glockenspiels. We have also started to learn the choreography for our whole school finale and next term we will start learning the class dances.

Year Three and Four:

The students in Year 3 and 4 have now finished performing their short scripted scenes from our school production, 'Cinderella and Rockerfella'. It has been great to watch the groups respond to feed forward from both myself and their peers. We have now been looking at the skill of 'reacting' and making sure that when we are on stage we always stay in character (either acting or reacting). We celebrated Harmony Day together and shared stories of cultural connections. I announced the class songs for our school production (they are going to be rock stars in our show) and then started to learn the choreography for the whole school finale. We also completed an end of term Portfolio Task.

Year Five and Six:

The students finished performing their animal improvisations (some of which might now appear in our show). We unpacked the drama tool of 'reacting' and the students performed in small groups to create an improvised conversation (about a topic of their choice). The audience were responsible for focussing on one actor and then providing feedback on their reacting skills. They completed a Portfolio Task which gave them the opportunity to showcase their understanding of the 'Actor's Toolbox' and we shared our Harmony Day stories. We are now learning choreography for the ensemble dances for the school production.

Happy Easter everyone!

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