FOUR Canobolas Rural Technology High School students will learn to tell traditional Aboriginal stories through dance as part of the Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Rekindling Youth program.
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Joan Shillingsworth, Brianna Wise, Kiea Wise and Jada Murphy are the first students from the school to be selected for the program.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Joan said.
They will work with Aboriginal elders in three sessions starting with a three-day session this week followed by another session later in the month and one in May that will total 12 days.
Learning and support teacher Susan Gottschall said the four girls had been looking forward to joining other selected dancers and elders at the indigenous dance program.
The workshops will include material from the Bangarra Dance Theatre and the girls will also have an opportunity to create their own choreography.
“This program is running out of Dubbo so it is a Wiradjuri program but our girls are not all Wiradjuri, the two Wise girls are Kamilaroi,” Mrs Gottschall said.
The aim was about passing on cultural traditions and stories through dance.
“It’s important that the next generation keeps up this story telling from generation to generation,” Ms Gottschall said.
Brianna said she and the other girls had been participating in Aboriginal dance for about two years and were initially inspired by Dubbo elder Aunty Di McNaboe when she visited the school to teach the Wiradjuri language.
Last year, one of the school’s support teachers Tamise Blowes also encouraged them to keep it up.
“What we learn we pass on, we are teaching younger people what the elders teach us,” Brianna said.
tanya.marschke@fairfaxmedia.com.au
