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 - Cinderella and Rockerfella

AUGUST 7th and 8t

Parent Helpers Required

We have now started rehearsals for out Term 3 school production. I am super keen to hear from some parents (or grandparents) who might be able to assist us with costume co-ordination and some simple sewing tasks. 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 their classroom teacher's name. Later this term, I will be sending home details about some items that each child will need to provide for their class item. We always try and keep things simple and inexpensive.

Closer to our production I will also put the call out for some backstage helpers, people to assist with hair and character makeup, photographers and people to help us transport sets and props (need big cars and trailers). Please reach out if you want to be involved.

IMPORTANT

If you know that your child will NOT be attending our whole school production, can you please send me an email to confirm this ASAP. I have already completed the night splits (your child performs one night only) and your child's absence impacts this plan. We have to plan our numbers very carefully this year so as to avoid people missing out on tickets.

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. 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. Both choirs are now learning a beautiful song for Anzac Day and we look forward to sharing this with you at the next assembly.

Learning in Performing Arts

Foundation:

The students will be spending this term learning songs and dances for our whole school production, 'Cinderella and Rockerfella" to be performed at Burrinja theatre in Term 3, on August 7th and 8th. They are playing the part of little teddy bears and have done a fantastic job of echo singing (I sing they echo back) the words to the 'Teddy Bears Picnic'. Each Prep teacher also has the song so we can include lots of repetition to consolidate the lyrics and melody. We watched the animated story of 'Cinderella' to develop an understanding of the storyline for our show. We are also working on following stage directional instructions such as, 'face the front', 'move back', 'stand in a straight line', 'turn to face the back' etc. The students have been continuing to practise their pitch matching skills and recently sang 'Up the ladder, down the ladder' (solo) and 'Hot Cross Buns' (in unison).

Year One and Two:

This term all of the students in Years one and two will be working hard to learn two songs and dances for our whole school production, 'Cinderella and Rockerfella'. The students in year one will be cowboys and cowgirls (so keep your eye out for checked/flannelette tops, cowboy boots and hats and the year two students will be Cinderella's pets (keep an eye out for any animal costumes/onesies etc). I will send home more costume information soon. The students have been given challenging songs (very fast!) and I have been very impressed with their resilience and positive approach to learning choreography and lyrics. We have just finished our Portfolio Tasks and will re-visit our folk dances in preparation for our performance in a few weeks.

Year Three and Four:

The students in Year 3 and 4 have begun to learn their class item for our whole school production, 'Cinderella and Rockerfella'. They will be performing in Act two of our show and will be performing as rock stars!! I think you've probably worked out that our show does not really follow the traditional story of Cinderella. The fun of Pantomime. The students are learning two songs and we plan to mash them together! It has been great to see how fine tuned their mirroring skills are and their willingness to see dance as a way of telling a story with our bodies. I am hoping to find of way of incorporating the students as 'extras' during our show so they can use their amazing acting skills as well. We enjoyed playing 'Jump in/Jump out' and listened to the beautiful Anzac Day song, 'In Flanders Fields'.

Year Five and Six:

It was great to welcome the students back from their camp and hear about the fun times they had. We have launched straight into our whole school production rehearsals. The actors have been meeting with me (or Ms Oliver) on Fridays to go through their scenes. It was amazing to see that some students had spent time learning their lines in the Easter holidays. It would be great if your could support your child at home with this as often as you can as it is very challenging to act whilst holding a script. Performance night will be here before we know it! The students are learning two songs and dances for our show and have done a great job at performing with accuracy and flair. We can't wait to share this talent with you in Term 3.

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