Run, don't walk to IPAC for final performances of the South Coast Public Schools Dance Festival

A glittering array of the region’s youngest dance talent is on display at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre until Friday.

Students from 24 schools in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven are part of the South Coast Public Schools Dance Festival, with performers ranging in age from five to 18.

The festival, which began on 18 June, gives more than 500 students from both primary and high schools the opportunity to perform in a professional venue in front of their peers and families.

Dance Festival Co-ordinator Louise Morgan said the festival, now in its 36th year, has a range of benefits for students.

“I’ve been involved in the festival for about 13 years and have coordinated for about three,” she said.

“It’s a six-month process to put it all together, and then we run professional development for staff, support schools and put on the festival itself,” she said.

“All the staff involved are released from their schools to run the festival for the week; when I started teaching it was something that was a bit of a deficit in the school I was working at.

“In research we’ve found performing arts blends really nicely with academics and they’re learning all sorts of skills through dance.

“It’s an opportunity to get students on stage and showcase what they’re doing in a non-competitive format.

“Each performance reveals the determination of students and teachers to explore the art of dance and to achieve performances of the highest quality.

“These performances are underpinned by technical training, stamina, creativity, confidence, cooperation, and respect for one another fostered by their dedicated and talented teachers.

“They can come into a really safe, professional environment and some of them go on to performing arts high school because of the door this opens for them.”

One of those students, Alannah McMahon, is in Year 10 at Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts.

While the festival creates plenty of extra work for teachers, Alannah said students were deeply appreciative of the effort.

She said the dance festival gave students the opportunity to explore their creativity outside the confines of a competition, and provided valuable experience for maturing performers.

“We use a vine as a metaphor for growing up, the different stages of growth from maturing into your adult years,” she said.

“The dance festival is always such a great experience to perform and to watch everyone else, because there aren’t many opportunities you get as a dancer to portray stories – often you’re just performing for competitions and eisteddfods.

“This experience shows us what life is like as a performer, instead of competitions or workshops.

“This is more like the experience you would get in the industry, where you would be a backup dancer in a show.”

High schools taking part this year are Albion Park, Dapto, Heathcote, Kanahooka, Nowra, Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts and Woonona.

Primary schools taking part are Austinmer, Corrimal East, Fairy Meadow Demonstration School, Figtree, Hayes Park, Illaroo Road, Jamberoo, Kemblawarra, Para Meadows School, Peterborough School, Pleasant Heights, Shellharbour, Stanwell Park, Thirroul, Unanderra, Waniora and Wollongong West.

There are four performances remaining, Thursday 20 June 6 pm and 8 pm and Friday 21 June 6 pm and 8 pm.

Tickets are available through Merrigong Theatre Company.