Performing Arts

Dance Academy

Ipswich Performers Dance Festival Results!

What an incredible day and night of performances from our talented dancers at the Ipswich Performers Dance Festival! We are so proud of everyone’s hard work, teamwork and energy on stage.

? 1st Place

7 Dance Academy – Entertainment

? 2nd Place

8 Dance Academy – Contemporary

9  Dance Academy – Jazz

? 3rd Place

Combined Dance Academy – Jazz

Very Highly Commended (VHC)

Certificate II in Dance – Contemporary

7 Dance Academy – Lyrical

7 Dance

Students have been hard at work developing both their technical and expressive dance skills in preparation for their upcoming performance task. This assessment challenges them to learn popular dance movements set to fun, upbeat music, while also focusing on rhythm, spatial awareness, coordination, and expression.

As they prepare to perform their routines for an audience of their peers, students are building not only confidence but also pride in their ability to express themselves through movement. The process encourages growth, mastery, and visible progress, while the creative and rhythmic nature of dance helps foster a positive self-image. Each dancer is able to showcase their own unique style and celebrate their individual accomplishments

9 Dance

Year 9 Dance students have just wrapped up their performance task, showcasing their skills in the energetic and dynamic style of Hip Hop. A big thank you goes to Jaimi from The Creative Edge, who brought her expertise and passion to our workshops, making the learning experience both fun and inspiring.

Students will now move into their next challenge, a project task that dives deeper into the origins and evolution of Hip Hop dance. They’ll explore how global trends have influenced the style over time and consider how these trends shape the way we choreograph today.

Using this research as inspiration, students will collaborate to create their own original group choreography, blending historical knowledge with modern creativity.

11 Dance

Year 11 Dance students have been pushing their creativity with their latest assessment, the Dance Film Clip project. This demanding task required students to not only choreograph their own original contemporary routines, but also step into the role of teacher, passing their choreography on to a group of peers.

From there, the challenge continued as students took their work beyond the studio, filming on location to bring their artistic vision to life. They then entered the editing suite, carefully shaping their footage into a polished multimodal presentation. Each film clip had to communicate clear choreographic intent while also addressing complex choreographic problems.

With this intensive project soon coming to completion, students will next turn their focus toward the evaluation of professional contemporary performance, further building their analytical and critical dance skills and preparing for their final exam.

7 Music

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right — our Grade 7 music students are certainly having the time of their life as they dive into learning the guitar. This term, they have been focusing on the fundamentals of the instrument, building skills that make popular songs accessible and fun to perform. From learning basic chords to strumming patterns, students are discovering how quickly they can turn simple techniques into music they recognise and enjoy.

What’s been most exciting is the way students are taking ownership of their learning outside of class. Lunchtime rehearsal rooms have been fully booked as students practise, collaborate, and refine their playing in preparation for assessment. Their enthusiasm is clear — not just in the effort they’re putting in, but also in the supportive peer relationships being built through music.

As a result of this energy, we are thrilled to now have two new junior pop/rock groups forming within the school. These groups will provide even more opportunities for performance and creativity, showcasing the teamwork and passion that has been growing among our Grade 7 musicians. We can’t wait to see where their musical journey takes them next!

11 Music

Our Grade 11 music students have been deeply engaged in exploring how social, political, and personal identities can be represented through music. This unit has encouraged them to think about how music reflects culture and lived experience, while also being a powerful medium to communicate messages and influence audiences. Students have been listening critically, discussing meaning, and applying these ideas to their own work in creative and thoughtful ways.

ATAR Music students are finalising their integrated projects, which involve researching a chosen identity, examining how it is represented across multiple songs, and then bringing these findings together through an original performance or composition. This process challenges them to connect theory with practice, demonstrating not only their analytical skills but also their creativity and musicianship. Each project reflects a unique perspective, showing how identity can be explored in many different and meaningful ways.

Music in Practice students are focusing on how to represent their own identities through performance and how their artistic choices can shape the viewpoints of their audiences. They are developing confidence in expressing themselves while also considering the impact their music has on others. Across both pathways, all students are working very hard, and we are looking forward to seeing their ideas finalised and brought to life in the coming weeks.

Instrumental Music

Our Instrumental Music students are busily preparing for their final concerts and performances of the year, while continuing to expand their skills and techniques in exciting new ways. Each section of the program has been working on specialised units designed to both challenge and inspire, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to grow as a musician.

Percussionists have recently begun their drumkit unit, developing coordination, rhythm, and ensemble awareness, while pitched percussionists are focusing on the dynamics of playing together as a group. Brass and woodwind students are exploring world music, broadening their understanding of global traditions and styles. Meanwhile, our string players are experimenting with new and innovative techniques, including slap bass, to add variety and creativity to their playing.

While the emphasis remains on learning and developing musicality rather than rushing toward deadlines, regular attendance at rehearsals is still essential. These sessions provide students with the chance to refine new material, work collaboratively, and prepare confidently for upcoming performances. We are excited to see all their hard work come together as the term draws to a close.

Dance Squad

Ipswich Performers Dance Festival Results!

What an incredible day and night of performances from our talented dancers at the Ipswich Performers Dance Festival! We are so proud of everyone’s hard work, teamwork and energy on stage.

? 1st Place

Dance Squad – Jazz

Dance Squad – Contemporary

? 2nd Place

Dance Squad – Entertainment

On top of these fantastic results, we were also awarded Most Entertaining in the Year 12 & Under category – such a wonderful recognition of the fun, energy and performance quality our dancers bring to the stage! Congratulations to all of our dancers!

Musical – Legally Blonde

The stage is set, the costumes are ready, and our cast is giving it their all as technical rehearsals kick into high gear! Lights, sound, set, and performance are coming together to create a show you won’t want to miss. The energy in the theatre is electric, and excitement is building as we head towards opening night.

A massive shout-out to our hardworking students, dedicated staff, supportive families, and amazing volunteers, this production wouldn’t be possible without you. It truly takes a whole community, and we are so grateful for everyone’s involvement.

Tickets will sell out fast, don’t wait! Secure your seats now at Trybooking.com

and be part of the magic. This is going to be an unforgettable celebration of talent, creativity, and community spirit!