SIXTEEN year six students from Guthrie Street Primary School held their final dance rehearsal recently in preparation to join thousands of other students at the 2018 Victorian State Schools Spectacular (VSSS).
3,000 young performers from more than 200 schools across Victoria will perform over two shows on Saturday, September 15 at Hisense Arena, with this year’s production ‘With The Beat’ exploring ideas of belonging and identity. The journey of exploration will see Hisense Arena transformed into a mystical Venetian masquerade ball and a wondrous Steam Punk Fairground in a cornucopia of new and old mixed together. For the first time the VSSS Pacifica Choir will perform, taking inspiration from the movie Moana, and the audience will be immersed viewing one of the most powerful forms of cultural dance, a HAKA; specifically written for the show. Taking inspiration from the Grimm’s Brothers folk tale – The Goose Girl, a famous story of lost identity, will feature a puppet designed by Philip Millar of Creature Technology Company bringing another performing dimension to the stage. Adding that extra bit of ‘magic’ will be student Tim Mason, an international award-winning magician who will delight audiences of all ages with his masterful showmanship far beyond his years.
This year’s extravaganza will feature a 75 piece orchestra, 31 principal vocalists, 16 principal dancers, 20 principal ensemble dancers, nine backing vocalists, 44 Victorian State Schools Choir members, 55 specialist dancers/singers, a magician, a puppeteer, a 1,300 voice choir and 1,125 mass dancers.
The Victorian State Schools Spectacular – ‘With The Beat’ is on at Hisense Arena on Saturday, September 15 at 1pm and 6:30pm. To purchase tickets, visit www.ticketek.com.au/spectacular or call 132 849.
