Meet the Performing Arts Leaders

This year we are delighted to introduce our Performing Arts Leaders for 2021, Emily Crick and Michaela D’Abate.

Both students have been extensively involved in Performing Arts at the College since Year 7, in College productions, soirées and choir. They have been committed students of Drama, Dance and Music.

Emily and Michaela are looking forward to supporting and promoting Performing Arts at the College this year.

Emily Crick

My name is Emily Crick, and I am fortunate to be a Performing Arts Leader this year. Throughout my time at the College, having so many opportunities to be involved in Performing Arts is something that I will cherish for years to come!

From Year 8 to Year 10, I had the chance to be a part of various College productions that have opened my eyes to the amazing world that is theatre. In Year 8, I played the lead role of 'Millie' in our senior production, ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’, which provided me the opportunity to work as a team with all year levels and create lasting friendships and connections to this day. This gave me the confidence to become more involved in Performing Arts at the College.

In 2018, I played ‘Belle’ in our junior school production of ‘Beauty and the Beast Jr’, and in 2019, I played ‘Mrs Banks’ in our senior production of ‘Mary Poppins’. To further foster my love for Performing Arts, I’ve been able to undertake VCE Dance and VCE Music as part of my senior studies.

This year in Performing Arts, my goal with Michaela, is to ensure that all students have opportunities to foster their love of Performing Arts. New activities will include 'Pop-Up' music concerts, ‘Theatresports’ and senior Drama activities. We will also continue to assist the Kilbreda Dance Company (KDC) to flourish.

After completing Year 12, I hope to study a double degree, Bachelor of Musical Theatre and Business Management.

Michaela D’Abate

My name is Michaela D’Abate and I am one of the 2021 Performing Arts Leaders. I have been so lucky to have had many opportunities to be involved in Kilbreda and St Bede’s musicals since Year 7. I took part in the Kilbreda Junior Production, ‘The Little Mermaid Jr’ in Year 7, where I was able to learn about the role of ensemble and make new friends, an incredible introduction to theatre. In Year 8, I branched out to the St Bede’s senior play where I first experienced a featured role. In Years 9 and 10 I played the lead roles of 'Mrs Potts' in ‘Beauty and the Beast Jr’ and 'Miss Andrew/Bird Woman' in ‘Mary Poppins’. This allowed me to gain confidence and independence as a performer. I was also a part of the Choir from Years 7 to 11 which gave me the opportunity to improve my vocal skills and technique.

In Year 11, I studied VCE Theatre Studies at St Bede’s College to explore the ‘behind the scenes’ aspects of theatre. This allowed me to explore different methods of collaboration with backstage and further my acting journey. This year I am studying VCE Music.

In 2021, Emily and I hope to grow the Performing Arts department by making it a less daunting place, introduce casual and formal lunchtime concerts and an acting club for Years 9 to 12.

After completing Year 12, I hope to study Law or Paediatric Speech Pathology in conjunction with a Bachelor of Performing Arts.

Top Class Drama

On Tuesday 9 March, the VCE Drama Unit 1 and Unit 3 students attended the ‘Top Class’ Drama concert at the Melbourne Arts Centre.

The ‘Top Class’ Drama concert is part of the VCE 'Season of Excellence'; a festival showcasing outstanding VCE student performance work from Victorian schools.

Viewing of these top scoring solos not only enhances the students’ understanding of the key knowledge and skills required for solo performance outcomes, but also gives an insight into what is needed to achieve excellence in the study.

Our VCE Drama students came away from the concert inspired and ready to embrace the challenge of creating their own solos later in the year.

Keryn Holden

Learning Leader: Performing Arts

VCE Dance

The VCE Dance students have been treated to some inspiration and hard work this term with not one, but two guest choreographers!

Heath Anthony from Directions MGMT has choreographed a work for our Unit 3 Dance students for their Outcome 3 Group Dance SAC and Kelsey Holden is taking extra technique classes.

Heath Anthony

Learning Heath’s dance work has challenged our students technically and creatively. It's been exciting to have Heath in the studio this year as he choreographed remotely for us in 2020. Now in 2021, our dancers have been working hard under Heath’s guidance to build and showcase their technical skills through his world-class choreography.

Heath started dancing at Ms. Karla’s School of Ballet, learning Tap, Ballet and Jazz. He was then accepted into the Australian Ballet School where he trained the Vaganova method for five years. Heath was then accepted into the Victorian College of the Arts where he studied his Year 10 to 12.

When Heath finished his studies at the VCA, he was accepted into the Joffrey Ballet School and also the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Heath was offered to teach and choreograph in New York which is where he worked for the next five years.

In 2017 Heath started his own company, DIRECTION MGMT, which is a creative project company. The company recently launched its own apparel line called SOLITUDE, which Heath created. DIRECTION MGMT is operating from Melbourne and hopes to move to New York in the near future!

Our students have loved learning and refining Heath’s choreography. They have flourished under his challenging and inspiring work. Here is a snippet of the video he made for us in 2020.

Kelsey Holden

Kelsey Holden has also joined us as a guest teacher, she is a highly skilled dancer, choreographer, and educator who is teaching extracurricular technique classes to assist our students to refine their physical skills and expand their movement vocabulary.

Kelsey studied Jazz, Tap, and Ballet at Jane Moore Academy and achieved the perfect score of 50 in her VCE/VET Dance exam, complete with a Premier’s Award and an invitation to dance at Top Class. She then studied full-time at Patrick Studios. Kelsey is a new graduate from Deakin University and her knowledge of the curriculum is highly beneficial for our students. We are so excited that we have Kelsey to share her knowledge and expertise with us!

We will continue having a selection of guest teachers throughout the year so our students can benefit from the varied choreographers and styles in our community.

Cara Mitchell

Performing Arts Teacher

Co Curricular Performing Arts

It has been an extremely busy and challenging start to the new year in Performing Arts. The events of 2020 and several lockdowns took a serious toll on our Instrumental Music Program, as many students found it very difficult to maintain their motivation and technique learning remotely. As a result, instrumental music at the College is under reconstruction!!

Instrumental Music Program

Rehearsals and lessons have recommenced, and as was evident at the Year 7 Instrumental Music Information Evening on 23 February, our Middle Orchestra rose admirably to the occasion, performing two works to a very high standard from only four rehearsals! Audience members commented that one would never know they had a year with no rehearsals whatsoever!

We had a wonderful attendance at the Information Evening, and over 30 new Year 7 enrolments to form our Training Orchestra. Last year’s Year 7 and 8 musicians are going to join with them as music mentors, and learn valuable skills in rehearsal and ensemble skills, as well as polish their technique and performance skills. Rehearsals will commence on 25 March at 7.30 am.

If your daughter is interested in learning an instrument or singing at Kilbreda, please email me at Jo-Anne.Hilliard@kilbreda.vic.edu.au to inquire and obtain an enrolment form for Term 2. Normally lessons are by the semester, but due to the disrupted start to the year, we are accepting enrolments beginning Term 2. There are endless Performing Arts opportunities at the College, from choirs, orchestras, bands, Drama Club and Kilbreda Dance Company (KDC).

We have just completed auditions for our production of ‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical’, which is incredibly exciting, and rehearsals began this week.

Many thanks must go to the Kilbreda instrumental music tutors and staff for enabling a very smooth start to the year, despite a snap lockdown. I look forward to working with our musicians and staff, and encourage parents, carers and friends to support our music program by attending our concerts and performances.

Jo-Anne Hilliard

Co Curricular Performing Arts Coordinator

Staff