Page 3002 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 20 September 2006
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34 schools in Canberra. This year students from every ACT government high school and college, as well as some non-government high schools and colleges, are participating in the dance fest.
Whether it be by performing, presenting or producing, there is an opportunity for all students to engage and participate to gain experience in performing, announcing, backstage work and choreographing. Students are also given the opportunity to design the event’s official poster. Youth Dance Fest 2006 promotes positive body image and a healthy diet, encourages artistic appreciation and aims to increase self-esteem and team work skills.
Each year since its conception, dance fest has taken on a different theme, last year’s being “Connections”. The theme of dance fest in 2006 is “Australians All”, a theme that will stimulate students’ minds and will undoubtedly deliver some interesting messages.
At the launch this morning, three pieces were performed. Two in particular took my attention. The piece by Lake Tuggeranong college involved an Australian’s vision of Australia, with fly swatting and what certainly looked like social drinking at a barbecue—an interesting perspective of what life is like being an Australian.
The students from Copland college presented a fantastic piece with a magnificent display of support for workers’ rights. They danced through a description of early Australian working life in the mining area to today’s struggle for workers with the federal government’s WorkChoices law. It culminated in a piece with all of the cast holding up “Your rights at work” placards, a moving political statement made by years 11 and 12 students from Copland, no doubt reflecting the conversations happening in and around these students’ homes and peer groups. These powerful and moving messages and many more, I am sure, will be on show at the Canberra Theatre next week.
Congratulations to Ros Dundas, ACT Health and participating schools. I wish all participating students the best of luck for next week with their performances and productions.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
The Assembly adjourned at 6.22 pm.
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