Schools ready to dance for Out of the Box Festival

More than 100 Year 3 students at Redbank Plains State School are getting their dance shoes on in preparation for Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s (QPAC’s) 2018 Out of the Box Festival for children eight years and under, which opens in less than a month (26 June to 1 July).

Redbank Plains State School is one of 35 schools across Queensland taking part in Dance… Like No One is Watching, a 2018 Out of the Box project, which will culminate in dance parties celebrating music and movement at the Festival.

Dance… Like No One is Watching encourages young students to connect, build relationships, work as a team, and celebrate dance itself. The project offers a shared journey for students and their teachers through movement, music, and creative expression.

Through Out of the Box, this project sees more than 2500 Queensland children from Prep to Year 4 being taught a dance routine by teaching artists, then rehearsing and refining to ultimately perform with their classmates at shared dance events during Out of the Box.

Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch said Redbank Plains State School was one of 14 schools and kindergartens across the state participating in the 2017-18 Artist in Residence program.

“The $200,000 Artists in Residence (AIR) program 2017-18, supported through Arts Queensland and Education Queensland, connects artists and arts organisations with students and teachers to boost creativity and education outcomes,” Minister Enoch said.

“Since the AIR program began in 2009, it has delivered arts and cultural experiences to more than 120 schools and thousands of students across the state.

“I know the students at Redbank Plains State School are really excited to create a giant dance party for the 2018 Out of the Box Festival,” she said.

QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas said the Centre relishes its role in creating opportunities for children to increase their passion for learning and develop their sense of self and others through participation in the arts.

“Through Out of the Box projects such as Dance… Like No One is Watching QPAC engages directly with thousands of children from communities across Queensland, and acknowledges their expertise as active participants in the creation of cultural activity,” said Mr Kotzas.

“Students from Redbank Plains State School represent multiple cultures and the feedback from the school has been that dance offers a wonderful way for students to communicate and relate to each other even if they may not speak the same language,” he said.

The Dance… Like No One is Watching program is directly linked to dance and music outcomes outlined in the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum (Version 8).

For the full 2018 Out of the Box program and Day Pass bookings please go to www.outoftheboxfestival.com.au or phone 136-246.

More stories in Showbiz News.