Performing Arts News

It has been exciting witnessing our Warrandyte Primary students embrace and, indeed, celebrate, the freedom of returning to many Performing Arts activities which had been previously restricted by Covid-safe regulations. Here is an insight into our busy Term 1 in the Music Room!

Prep – 2 students enjoyed creating role plays and charade story-telling based on their own experiences and representations of our school values, they performed set choreography as well as creating their own moves to different genres of dance - from The Alphabet Rap to Move Your Body hip hop and musical theatre - explored tuned and untuned percussion – creating rhythms with maracas and tambourines, learning drumming patterns on the drumkit as well as playing simply three-note tunes on the piano. Grade 1/2N were also introduced to woodwind instruments – learning basic techniques for playing the recorder which will be further developed in Term 4. In singing, the students performed the Australian national anthem in the Indigenous language of Luritija and were most excited to make a head start on the songs they will be performing on stage in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR!

Year 3 & 4 students started the term with drama activities – embracing the use of the clapper-board prop and red curtains to share both their own created role plays as well as interpreting different set scenarios. Both grades were introduced to songs from the school production which provided them with the stimulus to create their own choreography while working in small groups. 3/4R explored Morris dancing and the use of percussion in stage performance, while 3/4N focussed on more classical dance forms. Both grades are looking forward to learning more complex moves and lyrics next term – with some students already challenging themselves with specialist dance sessions on Wednesday lunchtimes.

The Year 5s have learned to read and interpret musical theatre librettos -or musical scripts. They worked together in small groups to block, direct and perform short scenes and offered positive and constructive feedback to their peers. The students enthusiastically studied and performed different dance genres, including hip-hop (choreographed by Deon Nuku) and samba (in preparation for the school production). They also enjoyed being introduced to the wide range of songs they will be performing on stage in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR.

In addition to enjoying a return to Friday Bush Band sessions with Kevin O’Mara, the Year 6 students have focussed on learning to interpret a musical libretto, as well as techniques for preparing and creating a ‘character’ for auditions. They demonstrated confidence through rehearsing a chosen scene and song and further developing these based on feedback. Their hard work was rewarded at the end of the term, with the final naming of our Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR cast during a special presentation shared by our Year 5s.

The Victorian State Schools Spectacular dancers have had lots of fun on Wednesday mornings throughout the term rehearsing a fabulous hip-hop routine. While this year’s Spectacular will be a made-for-TV event, we hope to share a live performance with the school community during Education Week and on stage at the Warrandyte Festival (later in the year).

Kirsty Wolters,

Performing Arts teacher

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