Performing Arts

DANCE

I don’t think anyone was expecting a second lockdown in 2021, but our talented Elective Dance students persevered and rose to the challenges as we adapted to remote learning.

Certificate II in Dance

For the first time, in 2021 the Dance Certificate course was introduced. It is a nationally recognised qualification optional for Elective and Eisteddfod Dance students. Nine eager students enrolled in the course. They learned about various recognisable aspects of the Performing Arts, branching out to stage skills or industry knowledge. One of the required courses – staging skills, was held in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA), where an intensive day was held for the students to work behind the scenes (something we were definitely not used to)!

Year 10

Year 10 is the first year that students are allowed to participate in Elective Dance, and the cohort never fails to deliver incredible performances. To start the year, they collaborated on a class dance on ‘Work Life’, before diving into their Appreciation unit and studying the renowned work Revelations by contemporary dance pioneer, Alvin Ailey. Their work quality never failed to impress, even during online learning, as they worked together to create a dance film based on tropical stories in society. In Term 4, they produced an individual composition using the stimulus ‘The Royals’.

Year 11

For their second year participating in the Dance course, students continued with their studies for their preliminary syllabus. First, they worked on a class dance to ‘Achilles Come Down’, where dancers were taught a dance and allowed to manipulate it to suit their capabilities and limitations. Following that, in the world of dance appreciation, students acknowledged the significance of dance as a form of storytelling, as seen in Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Patyegarang and Jiri Kylian’s Falling Angels. As they moved into online learning, they focused on technique and how to preserve their health for when they finally returned to campus.

Tiarn Wilesmith, Jessica Davidson and Tiana Zarafetas, Year 12

Year 12

Year 12 was filled with talented, creative students who were devoted to the subject, even during the challenge that was COVID-19. Covering the four mandatory components of the HSC, they expressed themselves through their skills and knowledge. Early in 2021, they studied Jiri Kylian’s Sarabande, and attended a lecture held by exhead lecturer of Dance at the University of NSW, David Spurgeon. However, beyond the world of Dance theory, they had many opportunities to perform their works throughout the year as there were continuous assessments and checkpoints to make sure the dancers were on top of their works. Their trial exams were a success, and the cohort mesmerised the external markers with the quality of their works. Additionally, when Pymble hosted the Ballet Without Borders event, Year 12 student Sage Kikui had the opportunity to perform on stage as a guest performer to showcase her Core Composition. Despite the hardships that 2021 brought for this cohort, our dancers persevered through it and made it to the finish line. We are looking forward to the HSC Dance Showcase to be held in February 2022.

Fiona Fu, Captain of Dance

Performing Arts

Year 11 Drama students and Ms Tamara Sweetman (Head of Drama) Rosanna van Horen, Tessa Webster and Annabelle Ainsworth, Year 11

DRAMA

The world of Pymble Drama was filled with passion, talent and incredible participation by our students this year. Between live performances and workshops, there were many opportunities this year and there will be many more in the years to come.

Shakespeare Carnival

In Term 1, we began the year with a big hit with our incredibly talented Year 11 Drama students competing in the Shakespeare Carnival ‘Sport for Jove’. With regional entrants from Year 11 being a Mash Up scene, duologue and a group scripted scene which was rightfully awarded Best Prop after competing at the state level.

“I loved performing at Jove because it helped me expand my acting skills and receive incredible

feedback.” – Kate Falconer-Flint, Year 11

Year 10 Drama Learning Showcase

Not only did we have fantastic competitors in Curriculum Drama this year, but incredible devisors and performers from Year 10. In Term 2, our fabulous Year 10 girls worked with classroom teachers Ms Cooper-Findlay and Ms Sweetman to create five different pieces for the Drama courses. Performing on the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA) stage, the audience was so impressed by the girls’ absurdist, expressionistic, contemporary and comedic style pieces. “It was a good opportunity for Drama students of all abilities and experience to perform on stage for

an audience.” – Isla Harris, Year 10

Literature Diversity Festival

In Term 1 our Year 11 Drama students were able to partake in the Literature Diversity Festival in a Slam Poetry workshop led by 2015 Australian Poetry Slam Champion Philip Wilcox. This was a highly valuable opportunity for the cohort to understand the many varieties of performance styles.

Sit Back and Watch us Act

The student-run initiative of Sit Back and Watch us Act aimed to provide Drama students in Curriculum and Cocurricular classes the opportunity to perform for their peers, enhancing performance skills as well as confidence. This year the Year 12 Drama students performed their group performance pieces, Year 11 Drama students performed absurdist duologues and Shakespeare Carnival pieces and finally the Year 10 students performed their showcase pieces. All the students were able to showcase their work to supportive friends in the audience! Our Pymble Drama community continues to grow and be filled with dedicated and hardworking students, ensuring that each year is even more successful for Drama at Pymble Ladies’ College.

Sophie Coughlan, Captain of Drama

Performing Arts

MUSIC

Term 1

Pymble’s Music program started off strongly with a return to campus and a hope to leave COVID-19 in the past! Pymble’s favourite Munch and Music lunchtime concerts began again with girls in Years 11 and 12 playing their pieces; the Year 11 girls working towards assessments and exams, and the Year 12 girls towards their HSC. The fortnightly event was open to Year 8 and above, with socially distanced seating and supportive audience members. Year 10 impressed the staff with some rock arrangements of classical music.

Term 2

Moving into Term 2, the Years 10, 11 and 12 Music classes were lucky to watch the 2020 HSC music concert ‘Encore’ with Hui Pan (2020) on cello which inspired the upcoming artists of Year 11.

Performed by the Year 8 students, Moana the Musical was a huge success, starring all students across the three Elective Music classes.

Renowned composer Luke Byrne visited the Senior students to help with the many compositions that the Years 11 and 12 girls struggled with. He provided unique insights and helpful tools which aided in a class of successful fugues in the Baroque style, and theme and variations in the Classical style.

Term 3

Despite the entirety of Term 3 being in lockdown, Music at Pymble continued to thrive. Year 7 classes continued bucket drumming from home, utilising a great deal of creativity and a wide range of kitchen appliances to put together their own DIY percussion instruments. Meanwhile, Year 11 initiated student-run virtual trivia, also enjoyed by Music staff. Particular applause to Years 10 and 11 for completing their performance assessments virtually.

Term 4

Upon finally returning to campus in Term 4, Pymble’s Music program faced many obstacles brought on by restrictions – most, unfortunately, not allowing the mixing of year groups which prevented the continuation of the Munch and Music concerts. Nonetheless, girls were nothing short of excited to make a return to class. Overall, Music successfully continued to hurdle through the pandemic in 2021. Well done to all the students and staff for making it through the year and surviving an entire term of online learning! Lara Albany and Isabel Dean, Captains of Music

Zarina Nurlanov and Sarah Boland, Year 8