Dance

Junior Holiday Dance Workshops

Over the April holidays, our Years 3 to 6 dancers were treated to an exciting series of Dance holiday workshops, with three different programs designed to develop skills, confidence, and creativity across a range of styles.

On Wednesday 16 April, students started their morning with the contemporary basics and ballet workshop, led by Miss Lucy and Miss Laura. Participants explored the foundations of contemporary dance, learning travelling sequences, floorwork, and choreographic techniques inspired by companies like Sydney Dance Company and Australian Dance Theatre. They also discovered the important links between ballet, lyrical, and contemporary dance, finishing the session by performing a short routine for their peers.

That afternoon, the energy lifted with the hip hop foundations and freestyle skills workshop, led by Miss Gen. Students built their groove and musicality, learning classic hip-hop moves and a dynamic routine. They worked on freestyle confidence and performed their choreography in small groups, celebrating their growth and individuality.

The fun continued the Thursday 17 April with a full-day musical theatre dance workshop, where Miss Gen and Mr Jackson guided students through a fast-paced and exciting day of theatre jazz. The dancers learnt a full musical theatre number from start to finish, developing their stage presence, characterisation, and technique through warm-ups, theatre games, and choreography sessions. The day ended with a final group performance that showcased all they had achieved in just a few hours.

It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm, improvement, and joy across the workshops. A big thank you to the whole dance department for creating such a fantastic holiday dance experience!

Secondary Holiday Dance Activities

Our Secondary Dance students engaged in a wide range of exciting Dance activities over the term break. Pymble Dance students are incredibly committed to their training, seeking learning opportunities at every turn.

We are proud to share some of their achievements below:

Deep Dive into HSC Dance

This workshop provided students with a deep dive into HSC Dance to provide additional support, guidance and rehearsal time for the practical components including core performance, core composition and major study and their accompanying interviews. Students unpacked the marking criteria and determined their plan forward in each area of study.

Alanah Scott (Year 12), Dance Prefect, statement on the workshop:

The HSC Dance workshop was an incredibly valuable day which gave me insight into how each component of the course is assessed, enabling me to identify areas for refinement and how to choreograph for the markers. With a strong focus on major, we had the opportunity to watch and analyse sample interviews, which deepened my understanding of how they are structured, the types of questions that may be asked, and the correct dance terminology and vocabulary which can be used in interviews. We also began choreographing our major works, applying this knowledge directly to the creative process.

Secondary Contemporary Basics and Ballet

This workshop built the foundations of contemporary dance. Focusing on mastering entrances and exits of floorwork skills, long and strong lines, travelling and execution of these emphases within choreographic phrases.

Conditioning and Body Awareness

This workshop focused on the intrinsic control the body needs to have to perform well, through use of pilates and somatic techniques. Conditioning the body is something every elite dancer in the industry continuously works to master. The session drew focus to strength, control, and mind-body connection you and how this enhances artistry and economy of movement. This workshop is met demands for dancers in elective dance, advanced-level classes, and dancers seeking improved dance technique.

Stella Boyle (Year 11), Captain of Ballet, statement on the workshop:

The Conditioning workshop enhanced our understanding of the mind-muscle connection and anatomy, teaching us to activate muscles safely. Through body awareness, we discovered how isolating a single body part can influence the entire body’s response.

igsa Dance Festival

igsa (Independent Girls’ Schools Association) has partnered with Sydney Dance Company to create an annual dance festival for girls from member schools. The festival, held at the prestigious Sydney Dance Company’s Neilson Studio Theatre Space, is a two-day workshop focusing on contemporary, lyrical, theatre jazz, and hip hop classes, culminating in a fantastic Sunday night performance. Congratulations to Stella Boyle (Year 11), Charlotte King (Year 10), and Emily Mah (Year 10) who represented Pymble Dance so well.

Charlotte King (Year 10) on the workshops:

The igsa workshops were really fun and helped me grow more confident in expressing myself through dance. I learned a lot about working as a team with other people who I’m not familiar with and telling a story with movement.

Emily Mah (Year 10) on the workshops:

The dance festival is a way to broaden dance styles, learn from choreographers outside of Pymble, and build connections especially since there were over 30 schools that took part in this amazing program. I have learnt the dedication and motivation required to learn four dances (lyrical, contemporary, JFH, and theatre jazz) in just two days, tiring but so much fun.

Katrina Cluff

Head of Dance