Teacher Anna Chapman said it was the first year Chevalier College had participated in the event and students were thrilled to have been awarded ‘Excellent Ensemble’ and ‘Well-Rehearsed Performance’. 

“We had about 30 students from year 7 to year 12, some with dance experience, some without, work together to create a 5-minute story dance,” Ms Chapman said. 

“Students were responsible for about 60 per cent of the work; developing their own stories, choreographing, working on costumes, a few even worked backstage. They enjoyed the whole experience,” she said. 

The students worked with teachers to devise an original story dance titled ‘Our Society’. The work explored the nature of the human experience through the depiction of a story about people from differing social classes and backgrounds who must unite to help one another through a crisis when a flood hits.  

“The core message was about how shared experiences can bring us together rather than divide us,” Ms Chapman said. 

The Wakakirri Story Dance Challenge is the largest performing arts festival for schools in Australia. This year more than 235 schools performed at more than 40 shows across the country. 

Each year students create story dances for Wakakirri that reflect their thoughts and ideas at a professional theatre and before an audience and a panel of judges. 

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