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!

STATE SCHOOLS SPECTACULAR

Congratulations to all of our VSSS dancers who performed at John Cain arena over the weekend. I worked out that by the time we left on Saturday night we had rehearsed and performed for almost 30 hours! That is truly SPECTACULAR and an impressive display of stamina and passion. I think the smiles say it all (see photos below). The students danced their little hearts out and experienced a multitude of feelings and emotions including joy, fear, pride, excitement, exhaustion, patience, resilience, responsibility and a little bit of sadness when it was all over. They made new friends, made up new songs, games and dances, told lots of jokes and stories and ate a LOT of food. I have no doubt that the experience will live with them forever.

I am so proud of every single one of our performers, including our reserve dancers (Finn, Isla and Sulli) and I am so glad we get the opportunity to participate in this event every year. Fingers crossed we get to do it all again next year. Of course, we cannot do these things without the support of our families. Thank you for reading my many, many memos and dropping off and picking up your children at crazy times. Thank you also for coming along to watch your children shine alongside 1200 other students. 

A very special mention must go to Kim Van Hoorn for giving up her time every Thursday to help us with the rehearsals and for attending on Saturday night to support me and the students backstage (in the cold and rain). Check out those hair braids! A big thank you also to Trudi Bons (and Nora) who provided the school with special VSSS costume bags this year and who helped me at the matinee performance. I am so grateful to you both.

In the Performing Arts room

Foundation

The students in Foundation have been continuing to play drama games to develop their creative imaginations and work on their performance confidence. We played 'pass the object' and the students had to imagine they were holding, and passing on, a variety of different objects. These included a slippery snake, a smelly sock, a Dragon's egg, and a delicious cupcake. It was great to see some students confidently add additional actions and even dialogue during this game. We have been continuing to work on their spatial and directional awareness as well as their listening skills. They enjoyed being sailors on my boat during 'Pirate Ship'. I introduced the students to some tongue twisters as a vocal warm up. These included, "Fuzzy Wuzzy bear has fuzzy wuzzy hair" and "Blue lolly, yellow lolly" (have a go together). We have  continued to enjoy some relaxing visualisations together at the end of our lessons.

Year One and Year Two

The students in Years one and two have a fun few weeks exploring a range of acting skills. We have been taking the class roll using improvised names, characters and voices. This is such a great way to get their creative brains buzzing. The year two students created 'hat characters' by choosing a hat of their choice and becoming a character. They had to think how their character would walk, talk, what their job would be and how they would interact with others. Over the next two weeks, the 'hat characters' collaborated in bigger groups and created their own drama stories that included a beginning, a middle and an ending. The year one students used pyjama day to create some improvised stories in small groups. They started with the line, 'I think I heard something' and had to finish with, 'Come on, we'd better go back to bed'. We have begun to explore a range of stagecraft skills, with an emphasis on clear and loud voices and facing the audience.

Year Three and Year Four

The students in Years three and four have continued to work on their scripted poem entitled, 'A Tourist Promotion'. We looked at the way actors can change the pace, pitch and volume of their voice when they are performing in order to create dramatic impact. The students worked with a partner to create their own short drama story. It was great to watch them employ their creative imaginations and come up with their own ideas and scenarios.  The success criteria was to be able to change the 'mood' within the drama by variations in vocal pace, pitch and volume. Some students went above and beyond and added gesture, movement and facial expressions. It has been amazing to watch their stagecraft skills develop this term. We certainly have some budding actors amongst this cohort. 

Year Five and Year Six

We have had a busy few weeks continuing to work on acting improvisation skills. The students worked collaboratively in large groups to improvise a short drama story in various locations. These included in a busy airport lounge, on a Melbourne tram, in the crowd at a footy match, at the cinema as well as an audience in a theatre. They had to 'think fast' as interruptions were announced (by me) over an imaginary speaker. We discussed the importance of listening carefully to the other actors in their scenario so that the improvisation would continue to 'make sense' and to avoid speaking over the top of each other. We had to have some important conversations about keeping our drama stories positive, kind and free from play 'fighting'. On 'Passions Day', we used the theme of sporting teams to inspire some positive group improvisations with the focus on the rule of saying 'Yes' and adding on. 

Christmas Choir

In Term 4, the junior (1 to 2) and senior (3 to 6) choirs will start to learn some songs for our end of year Christmas concert (5th December). 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. Please help your child to remember their choir folders every Wednesday and Thursday.

Instrumental Lessons

Please see below for 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.