Peter Moyes Anglican Community School

PETER MOYES ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL

DANCING THEIR WAY TO SUCCESS

The introduction of Dance Troupes at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School (PMACS) in 2022 has proven a roaring success, with a notable shift toward building a culture of performance at the School. PMACS Head of Dance and Drama Emma Leadon announced the creation of Junior (Years 4 – 6) and Senior (Years 7 – 12) Dance Troupes at the beginning of the year. Due to a huge amount of interest and limited places available, members of each Troupe were selected via an audition process. Coached by Performing Arts student teachers Maddy Parker (a past PMACS student) and Madi McCaw, each Troupe had the opportunity to perform at numerous events throughout the year, including the School’s Easter Service, Peter Moyes Day ceremony, Twilight Markets, Presentation Evenings, and at the Act Belong Commit Youth On Health Festival (YOH Fest) in Mandurah.

The Junior Dance Troupe had the distinction of winning the Best in Show at the Primary School Showcase Finals at YOH Fest in their very first year. Ms Leadon said the benefits of dance extended far beyond the opportunity to perform on stage.

“Our 2022 Head Girl performed in the Senior Dance Troupe this year and remarked to me that being part of the Troupe had positively impacted her mental health, particularly in dealing with the stresses of Year 12,” Ms Leadon said. The success of the program has boosted the Dance curriculum at the School, with Dance now being added to the curriculum from Year 7, rather than Year 9. There are also plans to create a boys’ Hip Hop Dance Troupe in the future. Year 3 students interested in joining the Junior Dance Troupe next year are currently training in a ‘Dance Troupe Boot Camp’ in order to boost their skills prior to auditioning. Ms Leadon said she was looking forward to the performance opportunities for the Troupes in 2023, most notably the School’s production of Aladdin Jnr. “These dancers have shown such dedication, commitment and motivation to rehearse early in the mornings throughout the year and put themselves out there on stage in front of their peers,” she said. “They are to be commended for their achievements, and we also thank the many parent helpers and volunteers who have assisted with hair, make-up and costumes behind the scenes – we couldn’t do it without their support.”