Far South Coast (Merimbula) Primary Dance Ensemble

Snowy Monaro Performing Arts Festival

📍 Location: Monaro High School - Cooma

📅 Performance date - Thursday 4 June - Term 2 Week 7

• Evening show - 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Ticketing

Tickets will be available to purchase closer to the festival.  

• $20 per adult

• $12.50 child, concession and seniors.

Far South Coast Dance Festival 

📍 Location: Yuin Theatre - Bay Pavilions - Batemans Bay

📅 Performance date

• Wednesday 24 June - Term 2 Week 10

• Evening show A - 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm

• Evening show B - 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm

The Ensemble will perform in both shows.

Ticketing

Tickets will be available to purchase from the performance venue closer to the festival.  

• $20 per adult

• $12.50 child, concession and seniors.

State Dance Festival 

The Far South Coast (Merimbula) Primary Dance Ensembles will submit a nomination to perform at the State Dance Festival.

📍 Location: Seymour Centre - Chippendale Street Sydney

•  14 to 18 September 2026 - Term 3 Week 9

If selected, the ensemble will perform on one night of the festival, representing the incredible talent and dedication of dancers from across Regional and Rural South and West.

📅 State Dance Festival rehearsal dates

If selected, the following additional rehearsals will be scheduled in the lead-up to the festival.

• Friday 4 September - Term 3 Week 5 - TBC

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The State Dance Festival brings together the best student ensembles from across the state to perform in a professionally produced showcase. This is an extraordinary opportunity for our young regional dancers to:

• Perform on a professional stage in front of a state-wide audience

• Represent and celebrate regional and rural excellence in dance

• Connect with top student performers from across NSW

• Be part of a high-calibre festival known for its artistic and technical excellence

Being selected for the State Dance Festival is a remarkable achievement, providing dancers with invaluable experience, confidence, and exposure. The Southern Tablelands Primary Dance Ensemble will be proud to stand alongside some of the best young performers in the state, showcasing the power of regional and rural talent. 

Being part of the ensemble is a fantastic opportunity and also a commitment.

We ask all dancers to:

⭐ Attend all rehearsals and performances

⭐ Arrive on time and ready to participate

⭐ Show respect to choreographers, staff, and fellow dancers

⭐ Demonstrate positive teamwork and encouragement

⭐ Represent their school and public education proudly

Our ensemble program is designed to support High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) opportunities in dance, helping students extend their skills and grow as performers.

🩰 What to Bring to Rehearsals

To help rehearsals run smoothly, please ensure students arrive prepared.

Students should bring:

• Wear your school sports uniform to arrive

• Bring comfortable dance clothing if you prefer to rehearse  (no bare midriffs or large logos) 

• Water bottle

• Lunch and snacks

• Hair neatly tied back

• Any required medications

Students should also come ready to work hard, try new things, and support their fellow dancers.

Travel

• Families are responsible for arranging transport for their child to and from all rehearsals and the festival performances.

• Students should arrive on time and ready to participate in rehearsals.

• If families wish to organise carpooling with other ensemble families, this can be done privately between families.

Supervision

• Students will be supervised by Department of Education staff and ensemble choreographers at all times during rehearsals and performances.

• Supervision begins once students have signed in at the venue and concludes at the official end of the rehearsal or event.

• Parents/carers are asked to ensure students are collected promptly at the end of each rehearsal.

A $120 participation fee applies for each student selected for the 2026 Far South Coast Primary Dance Ensemble.

This fee helps cover:

🩰 Specialist choreography and tuition

👕 Ensemble t-shirt

👗 Costume for the festival performance

Payment Process

Families do not pay this fee directly to the ensemble.

Once students have accepted their place:

• An invoice will be issued by your child’s school.

• Payment is then made to your school, following your school’s normal payment process.

• Please wait until your school issues the invoice before making payment.

• Payments due to Friday 8 May 2026 (Term 2 Week 3)

Costumes

Costumes for the Ensemble will be provided as part of the ensemble participation fee.

Costume Care

When costumes are distributed, families will receive specific care instructions. We kindly ask that these instructions are followed carefully.

Some costumes should not be washed at home, as they require special laundering or handling to ensure they remain in good condition for future use. In these cases, costumes will be collected and cleaned centrally before being used by the next group of students.

Costume Return

At the end of the festival season, all costumes must be returned to the ensemble coordinators.

Many of our previous ensemble costumes are reused by schools for future performances and festivals, helping to support school dance groups and keep costs down for families. While we know some students love to keep their costumes as a special memory, we kindly ask that all costumes be returned so they can continue to be enjoyed by other students in future years.