THE ARTS LEARNING ARE

VCE DANCE TRIP

Recently our VCE Dance students travelled to Melbourne to take to the floor and fully immerse themselves in a jam-packed program that aimed to build confidence, inspire creativity and prepare them for their Skill and Composition dance solos.

On arrival in Melbourne, the dancers entered a world of mindfulness at Bikram Yoga Fitzroy. The students all managed to see through a 90 minute hot yoga session! They did a tremendous job and were willing to try and to challenge themselves in ways they hadn’t before.

The Top Class Dance recital reenergised students and gave them valuable ideas to bring back and explore within our Mercy Studio. Nathan Zappia, one of our former dance students, was selected by the VCAA panel as one of Victoria’s top VCE dancers for both his Skill and Composition based solos. Our VCE students took great pride in presenting him with a customary bouquet of flowers to congratulate him on his outstanding achievement.

We were truly dazzled watching & Juliet, a fun and energetic contemporary adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Whilst being showered by a flurry of confetti, students felt an even deeper connection with their passion for performance.  

Spending quality time at The Space Dance Centre enabled all students to experience a breakthrough in discovering their authentic personal movement vocabulary and understanding of the choreographic process. Students also put their analytical skills to work in a repertoire workshop that explored the classic piece Swan Lake.

Of course, the trip would not be complete without mouthwatering culinary experiences not be be forgotten at restaurants and cafes, as well as having some good old fashioned fun at tenpin bowling.

Even though the dancers returned home with tired feet, their hearts still beat fast with the joy of exploring their craft.

Mrs Lauren Dixon

Dance Teacher

SPECIALIST MUSIC

On Friday February 10, 22 Specialist Music students from Years 7 and 8 gathered together for their first Specialist Music Day held at the Enright Campus.

Students sure had a treat in store for them! Special guest Gen Bryant and some of her band members visited and held a fantastic workshop with our musicians. Gen Bryant is a singer, songwriter and musician who inspires young people through her work as a performer and composer.

Students participated in musical activities, workshops, sectional and group rehearsals throughout the day. They also learned some of Gen Bryant’s songs that we use regularly in our college masses. With a range of instruments and experiences, the aim of the day was to develop skills through activities that focused on participation through performance, singing, and making music with others. Students also composed some of their own lyrics and music as part of a short songwriting workshop that was a lot of fun.

Mr Baker and I were extremely impressed with the group's enthusiasm and ability to learn various songs within such a short time frame. Congratulations to all students involved for their commitment and hard work. It was a fantastic day.

Mrs Jennifer Gibson

Music Teacher