By Tyler Wright
Mount Dandenong Primary School students have taken out a national story award for their excellence in performing arts and raising awareness about animal welfare in their performance ‘Everybody’s Free!’ as part of the 2022 national Wakakirri Story-Dance Festival.
It was the first time Mount Dandenong Primary School had been nominated for an award since first getting involved in the competition 12 years ago.
Mount Dandenong Primary School Wakakirri teacher Jody Howell said the school community was “thrilled” to hear the students had taken out a national story award for their story-dance, which presented a story of isolated children breaking free from their homes and then attempting to free trapped zoo animals from their enclosures.
“Performing arts is something that we worked really hard on at Mount Dandenong, and a lot of our families are really encouraging and supportive of the performing arts as well,” Ms Howell said.
The 90 students from Mount Dandenong Primary School from grade one through to grade six took to the stage for this year’s festival, joining more than 180 schools nationwide.
“In our community’s heart [performing arts is] really an important thing, so the kids are used to being on stage and the team work between them all was really strong, and I think with our cast varying in age so much, maybe that made us stand out to the judges,” Ms Howell said.
The students performed in heats at Frankston Arts Centre, followed by a final Showcase at The Clocktower in Moonee Ponds alongside six other schools.
“Teamwork is a massive part of it because we’ve got such a range of ages and abilities that we have to work together and encourage each other,” Ms Howell said.
“In the downtime when we weren’t on stage or performing, watching our older students take the younger ones under their wings and help them find their bag or keep them entertained for a while… that was really special.”
Wakakirri Festival Director Adam Loxely said Mount Dandenong Primary School should be “very proud” of their award as the standard of performances and the stories being told this year was “exceptional”.
Wakakirri panel member Kristin Wantenaar described the performance as “very joyous and energetic,” while Ms Howell will reset for another Wakakirri appearance in two years’ time.
“I love the inclusiveness of it. I would never audition the kids, I would never tell someone they can’t be in it,” she said.
“If you encourage children and give them opportunities, and have high expectations as well, they achieve them and everyone’s then proud of everyone.”
