In 2022, I performed a duet and my OSC both self-choreographed as well as a number of group pieces choreographed by our teachers. This was a great opportunity to further my skills in dance and performance. I enjoyed helping out the teachers with the younger students, helping them master the choreography.
I had the pleasure in 2023 to play the lead role of ‘Mortica’ in the school’s Musical production of the Addams family. This was an amazing opportunity that allowed me to apply all my skills and combine my loves for dance, drama, and music. I learned so much about all three disciplines and loved working with the cast and crew, making friends that will last a lifetime.
In 2022, I was given the opportunity to take part in my drama ATAR class performance of
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Though this style of theatre has not been my strong suit in the past, it was an amazing opportunity to further my skills and get out of my comfort zone. I played the role of ‘Mrs Samsa’, and in the chorus. Overall this was a much-needed role that added to my acting experience in drama.
Each year as a part of the Royal Academy of Dance(RAD) syllabus I take part in a yearly exam. I have taken part in all my grade exams from grade 1-8 and my vocational exams up to Advanced 1. I am now working towards Advanced 2. Though these exams are extremely challenging, I am forever grateful for the yearly opportunity. These ballet exams have taught me discipline, hard work and determination while working countless hours perfecting my work to then perform for an examiner. By managing to keep up with my ballet every day along with my school work, these exams have given me my work ethic and are an amazing certificate of improvement. Overall though sometimes it is difficult with escalating school work, I enjoy working towards and completing my exam each year.
As part of the year 11 ATAR syllabus we had to perform a monologue as part of an exam this year, and perform infront of an audience. I performed a monologue from ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ This was a nerve racking but rewarding experience, rehersals were tough and I was very nervous to be performing on my own infront of an audience. An amazing experience, over all I feel I did well and this really helped me to take my place as a drama student to feel comfortable and suppress my fears as an actor.
This years 2022 production was Peter Pan and though this production did not go ahead due to covid, I learnt a lot about the audition process. This process began with a group audition work shop in which we were given a series of activities to complete. This taught me to be bold and brave, we then had smaller pair auditions for the leads this was a good opportunity to perform on script. I then received a call back for the role of Tiger lily. The experience of the callbacks taught me to go for what you want and not to hold back if you feel intimidated. I was cast as the dance captain ensemble and understudy for Tiger lily, this was an amazing opportunity, we started rehersals though rehersal did not go on for long this taught me leadership, teamwork and what it is like to be an understudy. Though the production was cancelled this was an amazing opportunity that taught me a lot.
For the last three years I participated in the Connected 7 art exhibition, ASC’s Fundraising Exhibition for Nulsen Disability Services. Through this process we were given a theme in which we had to create an art work. Following this theme making it our own, I loved creating and experimenting with art and different mediums. This was an amazing opportunity to let my creative juices flow for a good cause. Last year I made a paper flower with a moth in the middle symbolising a little fleck of life. This year (2022) the theme of the exhibition was full circle I decided to create a 3-D reef structure reflecting global warming, how the living reef is becoming a plastic reef with pollution. This was an amazing opportunity to learn about this issue as well as to raise awareness. The last two years I had the honor of receiving the first prize for year 10/11 artist which was an amazing honor. I love to create in my limited time and really enjoy being part of this experience each year.
This year I took part in the musical theatre class in the production of Cinderella.
In this class we learnt about the audition process, we had to first create an audition resume as well as an audition reel. The cast list was posted and I was split-cast as Cinderella. We began the rehersal process learning songs, lines, blocking, and dance. I had to learn how to communicate and share the rehersal time between myself and the other Cinderella to ensure that we were both well prepared. I helped with set design and creation as well as all the costumes, using my leadership skills to rehearse songs and choreography with the rest of the cast. We took part in a dress rehersal and then the shows, I really enjoyed performing as it was an amzing opportunity to boost my performance skills and confidence and to learn and work in a theater company and its productions. Unfortunately our evil stepmother was ill in the other show so I had to step in and play her role. I had to use time management and leadership skills to quickly learn her lines songs and blocking to support the other Cinderella, this was an amzing real world experience which I really enjoyed and leant alot.
Over the course of 2021, I was given the opportunity to mentor a year 6 student with dyslexia. Rahani and I met weekly in tutor group over the course of two years, each week discussing how she was going and getting to know each other. I gave her advice on school and coping with dyslexia sharing personal experiences and trying to create a connection and make her not feel alone. this was an amazing opportunity which I hope she benefitted from too. It was amazing to be able to give back and try and help her as I knew that the support was something I would have loved to have to go through school. This opportunity taught me about mentoring and communicating and is an opportunity I am very grateful to have been given, to continue helping students with dyslexia, struggling through school.
Each year my dance studio holds a week of small dance concerts at our studio during the July holidays in order to give our students an opportunity to show our progress. I performed in these concerts nightly both in groups and solos and attended a class each day prior to the show due to teachers being unable to attend due to covid. I took on many administration roles trying to help where I could, this included making food and helping with the kiosk before and after shows looking after students in the dressing room and looking after the door entry to the stage as well as running the student choreography and looking after my twinkle toes that I teach. This was an amazing opportunity to take part in as well as help with the concert with the community and work with younger students and help out my dance school.
