In curriculum classes our Dance students are all working on their choreography tasks. Our Year 7's are creating a Popular Dance routine that incorporates styles across the eras. This week they have been working on their best disco moves for the 70's section of the routine. 

Our Year 9's are working on their Emotion in Motion choreography task. They are required to show the emotion of either Love or Hate in their Lyrical Dance routines. They have also been incorporating the use of a prop into their work to communicate their meaning.

Year 10's are working on a school yard inspired Hip Hop piece. They are working in small groups and using costume, props and set to help tell their chosen storylines.

Our Dance Squad had their first public performance last week at the Ipswich Show. Despite wet weather conditions, the whole team made it to the show in one piece and performed their Contemporary and Jazz routines. This was an awesome experience for the team and they will continue to rehearse and train for their up coming competition at the Ipswich Eisteddfod in June. 

This term in Year 8 drama, students have been looking at the different factors involved in putting together a dramatic play. They have studied Indigenous perspectives in the play “Honey Spot” by Jack Davis and explored themes such as unintentional racism and reconciliation. By stepping into the role of a Director, students will now apply this knowledge in creating their own Directors Concept, inclusion of set and costume designs and a detailed directors vision statement.

Year 9 Drama students have been engaging with the heritage style of Commedia Dell’Arte, manipulating voice and movement to create stock characters and specific ‘lazzi’ (comedy) routines. Students learn how to employ improvisation skills and practice creating spontaneous scenes when provided with stimulus. This week students learnt about ‘mask etiquette’ and began building on their artistry by embodying the Commedia characters with the enhancement of the character masks.

Advancing from the Year 9 Drama ‘Director Concept’, Year 10 students undertake a study of the style and conventions of Verbatim Theatre. Students will examine how the same issues can be interpreted and communicated through various perspectives and using this lens they will create a directors concept for a scene from the Australian Play ‘Scattered Lives’ by Sally McKenzie. This researched based play, employs contemporary dramatic forms to highlight social justice and political issues. Students will then view a filmed version of the live production and through the style of a modern podcast,  analyse the use of conventions of Verbatim Theatre and actors skills.

Meet Mr. Rielly

Mr Rielly is one of our current Pre-service teachers who has been completing his final university placement in the teaching area of Design and Technology at Ripley Valley State Secondary College. Mr Rielly also happens to be one of our fantastic Teacher Aides at the College. 

He has been working with the Year 7, Year 9 and Year 10 Design and Technology students for the last 6 weeks, teaching them a range of topics from the design process in a circular economy with the Year 7’s, the production of Ukulele in Year 9 and Skateboard design and production in Year 10.  

Mr Rielly will be finishing up with us as a Pre-service teacher in Week 6 and we wish him all the best as he returns to his full-time studies and full-time role as a Teacher Aide at the College.