Performing Arts
The Performing Arts faculty offers learning and experiences in both curricular and extra-curricular areas catering for all students; mainstream, support, and extension.
As part of the curriculum students have the opportunity to take part in circus, dance, drama, and music. We offer both auditioned and non-auditioned courses in each of these subjects.
Year 7 students
In Year 7, students undertake the study of music as part of the mainstream curriculum while circus, dance, and drama are electives for auditioned students. Students undertake 5 hours a fortnight of an elective in their auditioned subject.
Year 8 to Year 10 students
From Year 8 through to Year 10, students are able to audition into between two (Year 8) and three (Year 9 and 10) auditioned Performing Arts subjects which could lead to, on average, 15 hours of learning in their auditioned subject area.
Extra-curricular | Ensembles & Companies
To complement and extend our high potential and gifted education students in the Performing Arts, we also run extra-curricular ensembles and companies before, during, and after school. Students taking part in ensembles and companies have access to professional tutors and between one to two hours of dedicated rehearsal time per ensemble/company.
Students will experience, understand and value Circus Arts through the development of strength, flexibility, conditioning and the application of safe circus practice to learn and execute various aerial apparatus and floor based circus skills. They will learn how to create acts, develop performance skills and analyse their circus technique and professional circus acts based on their developing knowledge of the historical and social context of Circus in Australia and overseas.
Students will have the opportunity to learn skills in aerial, acrobatics, equilibristics, and manipulation. Students will also have the opportunity to perform and watch circus performances throughout the year.
In the study of dance as an art form, students develop knowledge, understanding, skills, values, and attitudes ‘through’ and ‘about’ the interrelated experiences of performing, composing and appreciating. Dance performance consists of dance technique, body skills and the application of safe dance technique to selected styles of dance. Dance composition involves creating and structuring movement to express and communicate ideas and feelings through the use of choreographic devices and the elements.
In appreciation, students study and analyse dance. They observe and describe performances, compositions and dance works of art. Students analyse dance works of art within a social, cultural or historical context as a reflection of the society from which it has emerged.
Students will be introduced to the subject of Drama. Students will learn to make, perform and appreciate Drama. They will learn about the elements of Drama including: character, focus, time, place, situation, space, structure, rhythm, pace and tension. Students will develop their performance skills in a range of opportunities including play-building, improvisation, theatre sports, lip-sync and script work. Students will learn to work as a team in theatre games, focus activities and group performances. Students will learn to appreciate drama and theatre by attending workshops, professional performances, writing theatre reviews and reflecting on their work in their logbooks.
Drama is a dynamic learning experience that caters for a diverse range of students and prepares them for effective and responsible participation in society, taking into account moral, ethical and spiritual considerations.
The study of Drama engages and challenges students to maximise their individual abilities through imaginative and dramatic experiences created in cooperation with others
Music provides students with the opportunity to perform, compose, listen to music and learn about varying styles and genres of music. In Stages 4 and 5 the courses build upon each year of learning with students focusing on an instrument of their choice in the practical component of the course. Students are also given the opportunity to learn to compose music and record their compositions.
Alongside the practical aspects of the course students study Aural and Musicology where they learn about music through the ages to the present incorporating Rock, Jazz, Classical, Film, Australian and Music of a Culture. Students have opportunities to perform in class time and also at various curricular and extracurricular events.
In Stage 6 students focus on their instrument in preparation for performance at the HSC. Students also engage in Composition, Musicology and Aural activities selecting their strongest component in Year 12 as their Elective focus. Throughout all years we aim to support students in their development as professional performers teaching them stagecraft and performance techniques.
- Circus Ensemble
- Circus Company
- Senior Circus Company
- Hand Balancing
- Collaboration Company
- Tumbling Company
- Junior Dance Company
- Intermediate Dance Company
- Senior Dance Company
- Babuga Dungara (Aboriginal Dance Company)
- Musical Theatre Company
- Jazz Company
- Hip-Hop Company
- Lyrical Company
- Industry Projects & Workshops
- Junior Melodramatics
- The Drama Company
- Jazz band
- Orchestra
- Training Band
- Amplified Music Ensemble (Rock Band)
- Vocal Company
- Extension Vocal Company
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