Latest updates
WDF2024 tickets on sale from this Friday 3 May (Term 2 Week 1). Go to BMEC website link to purchase
Teacher information
Welcome
Arts education is an important platform for students to thrive, express, create, collaborate, learn and excel.
It is with great excitement that we look forward to welcoming your dancers to the Western NSW Dance Festival 2024.
This Google site is a one-stop space for all information, details and expectations for the festival.
The Western NSW Dance Festival is an event for public schools across Western NSW and beyond. The festival promotes dance education by engaging students by offering a performance opportunity to schools in a professional setting. Showcasing students from Kindergarten to Year 12, each performance will display the passion, skills and creativity of students and teachers as they explore the art of dance.
The Festival aims to:
encourage the development and teaching of dance programs at a school level
provide an opportunity for the school and broader community to recognise
dance as an art form
provide an opportunity for students and teachers to work towards a quality performance in a professional venue
presenting an original, entertaining and professional event, providing a positive and memorable experience for teachers and students.
Support is available for schools in preparation for the festival as required on a school-by-school basis.
We can't wait to see your students strutting their stuff on the stage!
WDF 2024 - Teacher drive folder
All information and forms can also be found in the WDF 2024 - Teacher drive folder.
Enquiries
Should you have any further questions or concerns please contact:
Jayne Evans - Festival Coordinator
E: jayne.evans@det.nsw.edu.auSue Dawson - Arts Coordination Officer
E: susan.i.dawson@det.nsw.edu.au
P: 0402 992 897
Important information
Festival dates
Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 June 2024 (Term 2 Week 6)
Performance times
There will be 2 shows each evening:
Evening show A - 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm
Evening show B - 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm
Schools may select to perform in 1 or both shows on their performance evening. Schools will be offered the opportunity to perform in both shows on their performance evening if space is available.
Venue
Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
105 William Street Bathurst NSW 2795
Ticketing
Tickets can be purchased online from the BMEC from Friday 10 May 2024 (Term 2 Week 1).
$15 per adult
$10 child (over 18 months require their own seat), concession and seniors.
Go to BMEC website link to purchase.
Cost
There is no cost for schools to participate in the festival. Festival costs will be covered by ticket sales and local arts funding.
Schools are responsible for costs associated with costumes, teacher relief and transport to the festival.
School participation form
Please submit your WDF 2024 - School participation form - to nominate the number of items you wish to participate in the festival.
This form is required to be submitted by Friday 5 April 2024 (Term 1 Week 10).
Schedule
Following the closing of nominations, schools will be notified of their performance day and technical rehearsal timeslot on Monday 29 April 2024 (Term 2 Week 1).
The performance schedule for the shows will be made available to schools on Wednesday 22 May (Term 2 Week 4)
Schedule of day
Technical rehearsals will take place during the day of your allocated performance.
Technical rehearsal timeslot 1: 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Technical rehearsal timeslot 2: 10:30 am to 12:00 noon
Technical rehearsal timeslot 3: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Technical rehearsal timeslot 4: 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Evening show A: 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm
Evening show B: 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm
Schools are encouraged to watch some or all of the other technical rehearsals on the day.
Staffing
Students will, at all times, be under the duty of care of their teacher/s throughout the festival. Principals must sign off on all staff, aides and parent volunteers attending the festival to ensure they meet Department guidelines for WWCC and mandatory training.
The WDF 2024 - Performance day confirmation form is required to be completed by Friday 17 May 2024 (Term 2 Week 3) to confirm staffing and principal consent.
Festival structure
Number of items
Each school may nominate a maximum of 3 items for the festival. We will endeavour to place all items in the festival.
Schools wishing to submit more than 3 items will need to discuss this with Sue Dawson. Additional items may be possible, however may need to be spread over both nights of the festival.
Number of students
Each item should have a minimum of 10 dancers and a maximum of 30 dancers. Exception will be made for small schools and SSP schools where numbers may need to be adapted to suit the needs and/or number of their students.
Style of dance
Schools may explore any style of dance they prefer.
We encourage the inclusion of students with a disability and will work with the school to ensure any modifications or special provisions required are met.
Indigenous dance groups, multicultural dance groups, boys dance groups are actively encouraged to participate.
Schools requiring assistance with choreography should contact Sue Dawson (0402 992 897) to have a mentor choreographer assigned to the school to assist with preparations.
Length of items
Primary - maximum of 4 minutes
Secondary - maximum of 5 minutes.
Photography and video
Photography and video by the viewing public are strictly prohibited due to child protection and copyright regulations. Please remind your parents of this requirement.
Teachers may take photography or video of their item/s only during rehearsals. Photos or filming of groups backstage by teachers is permitted, but please be mindful of other schools within the area and limit filming to your school only unless permission is sought from the other school’s teacher. Students are not permitted to film or photograph within the auditorium or dressing rooms.
Video
All shows will be filmed. This video will not be available for sale due to copyright regulations. Each school will get a copy of their performance only. This will be sent to the school principal and coordinating teacher following the festival. This can be used at a school level at the principal's discretion. This video cannot be sold to parents.
Photography
A professional photographer will also be photographing both shows. All images will be available for viewing and purchase following the show. The link and password to these images will be supplied in the lead up to the show.
Schools that have students who do not have permission to publish have the following options for photography:
Not be photographed at all. The school will be responsible for advising their parent body of their decision not to have their item photographed prior to the show.
Photographed. Photos from this item will be sent to the school principal and coordinating teacher to check, and only photos selected by the principal will be made available for purchasing. These images would be password protected for specific school .viewing only. This option allows families to still have the opportunity to purchase images.
If your school has indicated that you have students who do not have permission to publish please advise your preferred option by emailing susan.i.dawson@det.nsw.edu.au.
Social Media
Please refer to the Department’s Social Media Policy before posting to your school's social media platforms. Please tag #WDF2024 and #Theartsunit when posting.
Publicity consent
All students are required to have a completed WDF 2024 - Student publicity consent form. This form is to be collected and held by the coordinating teacher at the school.
A Word document version of this form is available in the WDF 2024 - Teacher drive folder if you wish to amend this form to add to your school excursion permission note.
Items with a student without consent will still be filmed and photographed by the festival. It will be at the discretion of the school principal how this is used.
Music guidelines
Selecting your music and music reproduction
The music you choose drives the theme and provides inspiration for your movement. Try to be original and creative when choosing your music.
Music and lyrics help communicate the intent of an item, your music choice should be appropriate and support the intent/theme of your work.
Music must be legally purchased on behalf of the school with your principal’s acknowledgment of the purchase.
Please ensure each track of music selected is appropriate to the age and abilities of your students.
Music should be selected and screened carefully with the school principal endorsing both song choice and song lyrics.
Songs with inappropriate lyrics or intent will not be accepted.
When selecting your music or creating your soundtrack from multiple songs, try to avoid variation in sound levels or any audible clicks or pops on your soundtrack.
Ensure your music stays within the time allocations
It is recommended that you bring a backup thumb drive to the rehearsal and performances.
Soundtrack
Your final soundtrack will be required to be uploaded to the WDF 2024 Teacher drive - Music files folder by Friday 17 May 2024 (Term 2 Week 3).
Please submit a separate music file for each item.
Copyright
The Southern Tablelands Dance Festival adheres to all copyright laws.
Schools should choose commercially available sound recordings. Once the sound recording has been purchased, the school is not automatically covered for copyright under the educational copyright agreement.
Choreography must be original work created in accordance with choreography and copyright laws.
Each school must ensure the correct policies are followed for copyright clearance of all music and/or sound effects used in their soundtrack.
To assist you in understanding and meeting copyright requirements refer to:
Please also note that in your application form you will be required to provide the details (title, artist, composer, publisher/record company) of each music track and sound effect used.
Composition and choreography
Successful items are those items that contain a strong theme, appropriate music choice and movements and are age and ability appropriate for your students.
When creating your work, it is important to identify the intended concept / intent or theme. Spend time reflecting on what you are trying to communicate to the audience and how you are going to communicate it – through movement, music, costuming, props, staging and lighting.
All items must be appropriate for young audience members to view.
Sensitivity should be displayed in the treatment of themes such as romantic relationships, depression, suicide, racism, sexism, drug and alcohol abuse etc. If these themes are explored by senior students, they should be treated in an abstract context rather than representational. These themes are not suitable for primary or junior secondary students.
Performances that have disturbing, violent or culturally inappropriate content or costuming may possibly be removed from the festival.
All performances must be viewed in full by the school principal prior to the festival and have their endorsement of the content.
Questions to explore throughout the choreographic process:
What is the dance about?
What is the concept/intent, theme or narrative being developed?
How do you intend to develop your idea?
Does the movement support the concept/intent, theme or narrative?
How do you intend to develop the relationship between dancers/characters?
How will you explore the elements of dance? e.g. shapes, space and formations?
How will you create variations or dynamic contrasts? e.g. variations in time - frantic rush to a moment of stillness
Does the movement help to convey the intent of the piece?
Does music choice and costuming enhance the concept/intent, theme or narrative?
What atmosphere and ‘feeling’ do you want to create?
Is the concept/intent, theme or narrative clear to the audience from beginning to end?
When composing your work consider the following to vary and contrast the movement:
have different groups of students performing simple varied movements simultaneously
unison choreography should form only part of your dance
contrast locomotor (travelling) movement and non-locomotor (non-travelling)movement
work on a variety of levels – standing, kneeling, on the floor, jumping
develop a movement phrase, which can be repeated throughout your dance
move in lines, circles, triangles, squares, diagonals and staggered lines
perform the same movement in different directions
use entries and exits where the dancers are not on the stage throughout the whole item.
Refer to the Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus, Dance 7-10 Syllabus and Dance Stage 6 Syllabus for guidance in the elements of composition relevant for your students.
Item description
On the WDF 2024 - Item information form you will be required to provide a description (no more than 3 sentences) about your item for the comperes to read in the blackout while the stage is being set for your item. For example: “The sea is a mysterious and ever-changing part of our world. On the floor of the ocean crabs, fish, lobsters and mermaids live in harmony. Join the students from XXX Public School as they take you to the wonderful world “Under the Sea”.
Safe dance guidelines
Safe dance guidelines
Students should always warm up and cool down before and after they perform. Do a cardiovascular warm-up first before attempting to stretch. This makes the muscles more pliable before flexibility work and before being ready to dance. Be sure to warm up all major joint areas and muscle groups.
Students must dance within their own capabilities. Do not execute movements that extend past a student’s range of flexibility, strength, endurance or training.
Always dance with awareness of alignment, i.e. knees over toes. Students should use their centre at all times. This means pressing the stomach back to the spine and flattening out the stomach.
The following can be considered to be unsafe depending on the student’s training:
splits
full neck roll
sustained forward flexion or back arches without support
gymnastic tricks/movements - for example: flips, forward/backward rolls, walkovers
heavy landings from jumps or into the floor
rolling up onto the neck/backward or full neck rolls
break dancing movements such as the ‘worm’ and head spins
falling/landing on knees rather than lowering down to the floor
unstable or under-rehearsed lifts or weight-bearing movements
quick and repetitive plies.
Costumes and props
Costumes
Costumes need not be elaborate or expensive to be eye-catching. Costumes should support your item concept and complement the movement intention.
Rehearse in costumes prior to the festival to ensure fit and comfort issues for the students have been addressed.
Costumes should be appropriate to the performer’s age, gender and a range of body shapes. The dignity of students should be respected at all times.
Undergarments should not be seen when dancers are performing in costume.
Midriff, cut-away tops, plunging necklines and high-cut leotards are not acceptable.
Changing costumes on stage is not permitted.
Good grooming is an essential part of an onstage presentation. Hair should be well-groomed and pulled back from faces
The use of aerosol hairspray is not permitted in the building.
Props
If using props, they should appear as an integral part of the item, complementing, not dominating it.
Please consider:
there is a Work Safe limit of 25 kgs on all props
they should be able to be safely carried by one student
free-standing props must be secure and weighted at the bottom if necessary
props on wheels must have safety locks
coordinating teachers and choreographers will be directed by the stage management team on the safest most logical way that props are set and removed from the stage
keep in mind there is limited time to set up props and often limited light.
Staging and lighting
Staging
The stage space is approximately 11 m x 9 m.
The stage is a traditional proscenium-style setup.
Entrance to the stage is from stage left only. Dancers entering from stage right must cross the stage in the blackout.
Movement that travels backwards can be potentially dangerous for young and inexperienced dancers. It is the coordinating teacher and choreographer’s responsibility to ensure that dancers are aware of stage dimensions and how to orientate themselves in the space.
Stage diagram
Lighting
Schools will be supported during their rehearsal by the BMEC lighting technician to design a lighting plan for your item/s.
Please download the lighting design plan document to help you with this process. A completed copy of your lighting design should be uploaded into the WDF 2024 teacher drive - lighting plan folder by Friday 17 May 2024 (Term 2 Week 3).
Please submit a separate lighting plan for each item.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you need some support with completing your lighting plan.
Lighting background
Think about which background you would prefer to use throughout your item. The choice will depend on the mood and atmosphere you wish to achieve.
You will have 2 options for a background for your performance:
Black curtain - this helps to create vivid lighting effects, or a darker, more concentrated atmosphere.
White cyclorama - this creates brighter and more colourful lighting states.
Please note: you can change between the white cyc and the black curtain throughout your performance. Change works best when the song changes or develops, or a new group of dancers enter the stage.
Other student opportunities at the festival
BRAND NEW - Regional ensemble for this year's festival!
Boyz Crew is a brand-new initiative for public school boys from Years 5 to 8. Aimed at providing boys of all abilities with an interest in Hip Hop the opportunity to work with an experienced choreographer to create a performance piece for the Western NSW Dance Festival.
Boys will attend 3 full-day rehearsal workshops hosted at Glenroi Heights Public School, Orange in the lead-up to the festival and will perform as a Crew at the festival.
Applications close: Friday 23 February 2024 (Term 1 Week 4)
For full details on how boys from your school can apply go to the Boys Crew Western NSW - information site.
Download this image to put in your school newsletter!
_Boyz Crew Western NSW 2024 QR code promo.pngWestern NSW Dance Ensembles
The Western NSW Dance Ensembles are a selective ensemble program for Year 5 to Year 12 dancers from public schools across Western NSW.
These ensembles are aimed at talented dance students with high technical skill and performance quality who wish to be involved in the choreographic process to create, learn and perform a dance work at the Western NSW Dance Festival. This ensemble will also audition to perform at the State Dance Festival.
Western NSW Junior Dance Ensemble - Years 5 to 8
Rehearsals hosted at Orange High School.
For full details on how students from your school can apply go to the Western NSW Junior Dance Ensemble - information site
Download this image to put in your school newsletter
WNSW Jnr Dance Ensemble 2024 QR code promo.pngWestern NSW Senior Dance Ensemble - Years 8 to 12
Rehearsals hosted at Cowra High School.
For full details on how students from your school can apply go to the Western NSW Senior Dance Ensemble - information site
Download this image to put in your school newsletter
WNSW Snr Dance Ensemble 2024 QR code promo.pngComperes
The Western NSW Dance Festival is looking for confident and enthusiastic public speaking students from Years 5 to 12 to act as comperes for one of the 4 shows at the festival.
Students taking up a position as compere should not be a dancer in the festival and must have publicity consent. If selected, student comperes will be allocated to the same show as their school performance/s. Comperes' will be required to attend the festival during the day to rehearse prior to the evening show.
Comperes will be required to wear their school uniform for the show.
Schools may nominate a maximum of 1 student for the compere role.
VET Entertainment students
An opportunity is available for selected students in Years 11 and 12 studying VET Entertainment to complete a work placement as a crew member of the production team for the Festival.
VET Crew would be required to attend on both Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 July from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm and will work in roles such as assistant stage manager, film crew, backstage crew, sound and lighting. This opportunity will provide 24 hours of industry workplacement for the VET Entertainment course.
Please email Sue Dawson - susan.i.dawson@det.nsw.edu.au if you have students you wish to nominate for a work placement.
COVID-19
The WNSWDF is committed to offering a COVID safe event in 2024.
The festival committee works in conjunction with the Department of Education and supported by The Arts Unit to ensure that the operation of this program is contingent on the COVID-19 advice provided by the department in consultation with NSW Health.
Additional resources
You might like to explore the following 2 Creative Teacher resources developed by The Arts Unit to assist in your preparations for the festival.
Third-party content attributions
Western NSW Dance Festival 2023 images, photography by Hatchmedia
Western NSW Dance Festival
artsunit.nsw.edu.au/local-arts-programs/western-nsw-dance-festival
The Arts Unit
artsunit.nsw.edu.au