LIVING in regional NSW has not stopped 16 Orange East Public School students from rehearsing with metropolitan students ahead of November’s Schools Spectacular.
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The group of year 4 to 6 students have been hard at work, learning their routines every day, and had their first mass rehearsal on Thursday.
However, it was a little different for the students who, instead of being on stage at Sydney’s Qantas Credit Union Arena with the other 344 students in their dance, were instead linked to the rehearsal via video link.
They joined students from Wagga Wagga High School, Brunswick Heads Public School and Inverell High School who also used the video link for the rehearsal.
It was their only mass rehearsal with their whole dance group before they travel to Sydney a few days ahead of the November 28 and 29 performances, but teacher and co-ordinator Fiona McNamara said the students were making every effort to ensure they would be ready for the big day.
“On October 20 they had two full days rehearsal at Calare Public School with Cowra Public School with the choreographer who travelled from Sydney. They practise every day, morning recess or lunch, when [dance teacher] Amy [Sweeting] has time,” Mrs McNamara said.
The students will perform one group dance with 344 others, while the boys will perform another, and all students must learn the finale performance, which involves the 3600 students in the Schools Spectacular on stage.
School principal Glen Bourke said he was incredibly proud of his students, who were the first from the school to perform in the concert.
“It gives them something to aspire to if they want to follow down that path later on. It gives them a real taste of what you can achieve if you want to pursue the performing arts,” Mr Bourke said.
“[Schools Spectacular] is the biggest affirmation of public school education. It’s just amazing to go and watch, let alone be a part of it.”
