
The Australian Ballet Dancers
In a rare and exciting event, The Australian Ballet Company came to Wahgunyah Primary School on 7th May to present the “Out There” Program to students in years
3-6. This program is specifically designed for primary school students and includes talking, doing workshops where students participate in dance and movement as well as watch professional dancers perform a variety of dance including tap, contempory dance and toe ballet.
The program was very well received by students at the school with many boys coming away enthusiastic about dance given that two of the four dancers were males and the choreographer was also a male. The dancers spent time with all year levels, visiting the Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 classes to show students some costumes used in Ballet performances and demonstrate some basic steps.
The dancers have also visited some other schools in the region including Wangaratta, Benalla, Shepparton and Wodonga.

Students try out different ballet positions

Year 1 Ballet Dancers
During the first week of Term 4, 14 students, 3 teachers and 2 parents travelled to Noumea, New Caledonia for the Wahgunyah Primary School French Study Tour. The students engaged in a number of activities including shopping at the markets conversing in French and paying for items using CPS (French Pacific Francs), visiting Mont Dore Primary School, a trip to the new aquarium, a day trip to Phare Amedee, a small island where the students pa
rticipated in traditional dance, customs and coconut tree climbing, and of course, lots of time at the beach snorkelling and swimming. The experience was for many students a series of firsts; first flight, first trip overseas, first hotel stay, first time away from family and it was very pleasing to note that the students’ conduct was exceptional and was commented on by many people who encountered the group over the six days. The trip enabled the students to use their reading, writing and verbal skills in French and is sure to be an experience they will never forget.