Performing Arts News

Prep — Dance

Over the past fortnight, Prep students have explored why people dance, including for fun, celebrations, exercise and to share ideas and feelings. They created and performed a class Birthday Party Dance and explored body shapes and movement sequences. Students also watched dances including an indigenous Welcoming and Farewell Song, a choreographed dance to Can’t Stop the Feeling, and a Didgeridoo Dance (also known as Yidaki Dance), sharing their observations about how dance can communicate ideas and make us feel.

Grade 1 & 2 — Dance

Students have been exploring how they can use their bodies to express feelings, ideas and stories through dance. They have experimented with improvisation, creating movements in response to music and movement prompts, and practised moving safely in shared spaces. Grade 1 students watched performances featuring Indian dance, competitive dance and Indigenous dance, considering the different reasons people dance and how dance can be used for enjoyment, entertainment and cultural expression. Grade 2 students watched Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dances, including a Kangaroo Dance, an Aboriginal Emu Dance and Torres Strait Islander dancing, exploring how dance can tell stories, share culture and bring communities together.

Grade 3 & 4 — Dance

Students have been developing their understanding of the elements of dance — body, action, space, time and energy — and how dancers use these elements to communicate ideas. Grade 3 students watched Evolution of Dance and explored Indian dance, including Bhangra, learning and practising movements in time with music. Grade 4 students also watched Evolution of Dance and explored Aboriginal dance, considering its cultural significance, storytelling and connections to community and Country.

Grade 5 & 6 — Dance

Students have revisited the elements of dance, exploring how body, space, time and energy influence movement, with Grade 6 also considering relationships between dancers. Through improvisation, mirroring and group activities, students have practised making movement choices, responding to music and working collaboratively. They have also explored Bhangra, a traditional Punjabi dance style, learning basic movements, practising in time with music and working in small groups to rehearse and share dance sequences.