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Canberra Today 14°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

WAKAKIRRI to raise the roof in ACT finals

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY students across Australia have expressed the issues important to them, in performances for the 2016 Wakakirri performing arts showcases.

wakakirri

Each year hundreds of schools across Australia create ‘story dances’ for Wakakirri that reflect their students’ thoughts, ideas and aspirations. A Wakakirri Story Dance is a 3-7 minute performance using any combination of dance, creative movement, acting, music, props, costumes, sets, and in some cases, film, projections and singing.

Here’s an example of a story, this one  from Telopea Park School: “Their habitat is disappearing … Two little polar bears, guided by a star, are on a mission to find out why this is happening. Whose fault is it? The water? The air? The fire? The earth? What will they discover at the end of their quest?”

Festival director Adam Loxley has seen a constant shift in topics covered by schools in his 24 years running the festival: “when you give young people a creative voice through something like a Wakakirri Story Dance, it’s remarkable the insight you get into the issues facing youth at a point in time,” he says.

Wakakirri allows students to perform in professional theatres in front of an official panel of industry professionals. It involves over 20,000 primary and secondary students across every state and territory annually.

This year’s national panel members were Justine Clarke, Alex Papps, Rachael Beck and James Elmer, who will be at various events around the country. State panel representatives include Mark Wilson, Michael Cormick, Petra Glieson and more.

Story Award titles include environmental story, mental health story, choreography, solo dance, teamwork, set design, lighting and staging and more.

Story of the Year nominees go in the running to be the overall national winner.

Wakakirri ACT finals, Canberra Theatre this Wednesday and Thursday, September 21 & 22, bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

ACT Primary School Story Awards Results, the story so far:

Division 1

Rosary ¬¬Primary School – Best Entertainment Story Award

St Anthony’s Primary School – Best Adapted Story Award

St Gregory’s Primary School – Best Environmental Story Award

St Thomas The Apostle Primary School – Best Blockbuster Story Award

Telopea Primary School – Best Wildlife Story Award

Torrens Primary School – Best Australian History Story Award

Story Awards – Division 2

Charnwood Dunlop Primary School –Best Anti-Bullying Story Award

Good Shepherd Primary School – Best Inspirational Story Award

Gordon Primary School – Best Entertainment Story Award

Harrison Primary School – Best Drama Story Award

Majura Primary School –Best Adapted Story Award

Sutton Primary School –Best Raising Awareness Story Award

 

 

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Helen Musa

Helen Musa

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