Dance Opportunities for Catherine McAuley Students

Contemporary Dance students performing last year at the Performing Arts Afternoon

Catherine McAuley Westmead has a great tradition of dance with McAuley dance students highly skilled, talented and committed to their craft.

To recognise this skill and commitment the Performing Arts Department is renaming the former dance ‘troupes’ to instead be known as dance ‘companies’.

The school will offer dance performance opportunities through three dance companies.

• The Jazz Dance Company which will comprise of a Junior and Senior ensemble
• The Lyrical and Contemporary Dance Company
• The Hip Hop Crew

“In the past the dance groups have been referred to as ‘troupes’”, says Ms Flynn, Catherine McAuley Dance Teacher.

“However traditionally a troupe is a group of dancers who travel around and perform which isn’t a clear indication of what the groups actually do. The name ‘company’ recognises the expertise and skill the dancers demonstrate in rehearsals and performances, just like in a professional dance company. Our Dance students are hardworking and committed just like professional dancers are and the new name will now reflect this”.

The student choreographers of the Catherine McAuley Dance Companies

The three dance companies will be made up of students from Years 7 - 11 and will have student choreographers. The choreographers are previous members of the dance groups and were chosen for their expertise and skill in dance. For the Jazz Dance Company Senior Ensemble the choreographers were chosen based on votes from other Dance students. The choreographers will partner with two pairs of Year 8 students for the Junior Jazz Ensemble, two pairs of Year 9 students for the Senior Jazz Ensemble and one pair for the Hip Hop Crew. The student choreographer for the Lyrical and Contemporary Dance Company is still to be decided and they will work with Ms Flynn in choreography.

The Lyrical and Contemporary Dance Company is a new pairing for Catherine McAuley. Previously there has been a contemporary troupe but due to the popularity of lyrical dance this genre has now been added. The Company will perform both styles of dance.

The Hip Hop Crew

Students interested in joining one of the dance companies will need to audition. Auditions will take place in Week 3 and 4 for Jazz and Hip Hop with Lyrical/Contemporary to be held in Week 5. Full details are available for students on the Compass Noticeboard. Students rehearse once a week with Hip Hop and Lyrical/Contemporary rehearsing during a lunch break and Jazz during Thursday afternoon activity time. A student may be a member of more than one company.

“Dance students this year can look forward to taking part in a number of eisteddfods and performing at the performing arts afternoon/night”, said Ms Flynn. “It will be an exciting year!”

The student choreographers for the Jazz Dance Company and Hip Hop Crew are:

Jazz Dance Company Junior Ensemble

• Charlize D. and Emma S. Year 8
• Mariah F. and Yalaina O. Year 8

Jazz Dance Company Senior Ensemble

• Marissa C. and Charlotte K. Year 9
• Ashleigh D. Year 9

Hip Hop Crew

• Kaitlin C. and Aliyah T. Year 11