By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
Five exceptionally talented students from the outer east were selected to perform in the highly anticipated 2024 Victorian State Schools Spectacular (VSSS), which took place at John Cain Arena on the weekend.
The annual event with over 3000 government school students, took place on Saturday 14 September, highlighting an impressive array of music, dance, and performance, celebrating the extraordinary talents of Victoria’s young performers.
Talented dancers Cierra Shook, 16, from Ringwood Secondary College, Kevira Holy Willow, 15, from Heathmont College, vocalists Ria Bhagat, 13, from Melbourne Girls College, Zack Poole, 11, from Warrandyte Primary School and Talal Anab, 13, from Melba Secondary College.
The outer east was well-represented at the event, with talented performers including Ringwood Secondary College student Cierra Shook, 16, Kevira Holy Willow, 15, from Heathmont College, Melbourne Girls College Ria Bhagat, 13, Warrandyte Primary School Zack Poole, 11, and Melba Secondary College student Talal Anab, 13.
A principal vocalist for VSSS Zack Poole said he loves to sing and dance every opportunity he gets.
“I’ve been a part of stage school Australia since I was four-years-old and have been performing with them for the past seven years as part of their musical theatre program and boys dance academy and I really enjoy performing whenever I get a chance,” the 11-year-old said.
“I am so excited to perform in a big arena and on a very large stage in front of a massive audience and getting to use professional equipment for the first time such as in ear monitors and microphones.”
“I love performing and singing it makes me feel like I’m telling a story.”
Zack aspires to continue his passion for musical theatre, singing, and dancing as he grows older.
“I’m really proud to be here with my two brothers – my oldest brother is a principal vocalist this year and my other brother is part of mass dance for our primary school. This is most likely the last year we get to all be in the show together so I’m really looking forward to that,” Zack said.
13-year-old Ria Bhagat is also a principal vocalist for the VSSS, on the weekend she performed ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ and a Matilda medley from Matilda the Musical.
“I discovered my talent at five-years-old, when I was diagnosed with type one diabetes, music became a way for me to connect deeply with the songs and truly feel them,” she said.
“One of the highlights of being a vocalist is the exhilarating experience of performing on stage, which makes me feel amazing and when I get into character, I experience a sense of freedom, connection, and confidence.”
“I have performed at a significant event, the Knox Factor Grand Final at Carols by Candlelight, which was attended by approximately 10,000 people, it was truly an incredible experience.”
Dance enthusiast Cierra Shook, who has been dancing since the age of two, said she has explored variety of dance styles.
“When you’re expressing yourself through extraordinary movement it’s an amazing feeling to share with people next to you with people in the audience and with your friends and family,” the 16-year-old said.
“One of the challenges I face in dancing is the physical exhaustion that comes with learning new routines and pushing through to the end; however, this struggle is tied to the highlight of the experience—the rush of adrenaline and satisfaction when you finish a tough routine, making you feel like you could immediately do it all over again.”
Cierra hopes to work for a circus company when she’s older.
Heathmont College student Kevira Holy Willow, who participated in a mass dance performance last year, eagerly seized the opportunity to audition for the role of principal dancer when it became available, her enthusiasm led her to sign up for the audition.
The rehearsal schedule is usually full, the performers rehearse almost every week, and there are some intensive rehearsals during the school holidays as well.
She said the audition process was quite challenging but very exciting.
After the first round, she received a call-back which made her incredibly happy, and she continued to get more call-backs and went through several more rounds of auditions.
In the end, she was offered the role of principal dancer.
“I love that when you start dancing, you can forget about whatever was behind you and when you step into a studio, it’s like stepping into another world, where everyone is super supportive, and I think that’s why everyone keeps coming back to dance – to feel so free and elevated,” the 15-year-old said.
“My background is rooted in classical ballet and lyrical character dance and as part of that one of the significant challenges I faced was having to master styles outside my usual repertoire, however, this challenge turned into a highlight of my journey, as it pushed me beyond my comfort zone and catalysed my growth as a dancer.”
“I’m proud to say that, despite the hurdles, I’ve adapted effectively and continue to make progress.”
