Bullsbrook College has triumphed at this year’s Wakakirri, Australia’s largest performing arts event for schools, with their production A Place to Call Home.
Dedicated students from Years 5 to 8 brought their talent to life under the guidance of performing arts teacher Stephanie Clements, culminating in an awe-inspiring performance at Perth Concert Hall on 12 August. The show then went on to be awarded the National Story-Dance Award in October.
This year saw participation from 186 schools across Australia, embracing the theme of ‘Belonging’. Bullsbrook College students were encouraged along the whole creative process, from planning to performance, to explore the meaning of connection and community.
Stephanie explains, “The students shared their personal experiences of belonging, and each student identified their own places of belonging. These were organized into a mind map to highlight common connections.
“From this, we focused on five key stages of a person’s life, which developed into two sets of eight counts of choreography. These choreographed pieces were then integrated into the overall performance, reflecting their collective experiences.”
Creating the performance was no small feat, for both the students and the teacher! Stephanie said, “One of the main challenges I faced was choreographing a larger group, as my previous experience had only involved smaller ensembles.”
And for the students, the biggest hurdle was working with peers outside of their usual classroom or social group. “This required them to develop their cooperation and social skills to work effectively as a team. We tackled these challenges through open communication, team-building activities, and encouraging an inclusive atmosphere. This ultimately helped us achieve a cohesive and powerful performance.”
For many of the students, it was their first time on stage and they had to quickly adapt to multitasking. “They had to balance smiling, maintaining eye contact, and staying aware of their surroundings,” Stephanie explained. “The Wakakirri experience not only improved their stage presence, but the students became more open-minded learners, learning to work together and support one another.”
National awards aside, for Stephanie the most rewarding outcome was witnessing the relationship between her and the students, and within the team, go from strength to strength, which reflected a key goal in the early planning stages. “We wanted to highlight how we often overlook the importance of relationships and connections around us until it is too late to truly appreciate them.
In addition to the National Story-Dance Award, A Place to Call Home was also recognised for: Storytelling Award for Story Construction and Clarity, Storytelling Award for Strong Use of the Festival Motif, Ensmeble Award for Overall Performance, Lead Case Award for Performance in Dance, and Creative Production Award for Lighting Design.
Stephanie said, “To see everything come together—the makeup, hair, lights, and music—was truly breathtaking. It filled me with pride to see the students shine on stage.”
