In Review: IGSSA Dance 2022
Our IGSSA dancers performed for the final time this year to an appreciative audience on Mercy Day. The girls have had a busy term with three performances at the annual Dance Showcase and a very successful performance at the IGSSA Dance Festival, held in August at St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School.
The dancers auditioned for the IGSSA Dance troupes at the start of Term 2 and have worked incredibly hard to learn choreography and refine their technique in weekly rehearsals.
This year, the troupes performed for each other during the rehearsal period and gave valuable feedback to their peers. IGSSA Dance is co-curricular for students who are very passionate about dance. The girls develop a network of supportive dance friends across year groups. The staff who work on the program have high expectations so the dancers’ technique and performance skills really improve over Terms 2 and 3.
The high-energy Senior Troupe piece ‘I hope I get it’ was choreographed by Marissa Gangemi with dramaturgy by Emily Hunt. It was inspired by A Chorus Line. Throughout the creation of the piece, the dancers explored different characters and considered how they would audition to showcase themselves.
The Junior Dance Troupe piece ‘Connected’ was choreographed by Jessica Wynn and guest teacher Renako McDonald. This lyrical contemporary dance explores the connections we make with others, regardless of distance and time.
Below is a snipped of their performance.
The annual IGSSA Dance Festival is non-competitive and is focussed on sharing and celebration. Each year a professional dance artist is invited to give feedback to each school.
Deby Holmes, Director of Krave Perth Dance Agency, said the following about the Senior Dance Troupe ‘I hope I get it’:
“The expression from everyone was earnest and heartfelt, reaching right to the back of the theatre”.
She added that the girls had “excellent costuming” and “the choreography was well crafted with many exciting moments throughout.”
Deby also gave the Junior Troupe dancers the following feedback:
“Impressive partner work and exceptional solo work. You engaged your audience from the very first moment right until the final note. Such a beautiful piece”.
We asked some of our Dance students to reflect on what has been an outstanding year. Here is what they had to say:
The IGSSA Dance co-curricular never fails to produce a wonderful experience for everyone. I enjoy making lots of new friends and my favourite part is showcasing our beautiful dance to the other schools. I always look forward to IGSSA Dance because there are many things I learn from it, like emphasising every body part to the full extent and opening up my emotions to connect with others. I have learned so much from watching other schools’ dances and performing my own. Alyssa Stipinovic, Year 8.
The 2022 IGSSA Dance festival, my last IGSSA Dance performance, was just as phenomenal and magical as it’s always been. A highlight of every year, the festival is full of the most amazing costuming, choreography, music, and performers from across the IGSSA schools. The atmosphere is always one of excitement and wonder; the anticipation of being in the wings, the exhilaration of stepping onto the stage for the first time, and the shell shock of what just happened. The overwhelming pride in yourself and the unexpected friends you make across year groups when you have the chance to reflect in the final blackout is just exhilirating.
It’s so surreal to step backstage as your mind settles back into your body after three minutes of channeling only music and euphoria. Every year, IGSSA Dance may throw at us new choreographers, different styles of dance, and crazy costumes, but what you can always expect from it is an amazing time with some of the best teachers and the most emotional and captivating routines you can imagine. There’s no way to narrow down a favourite year, favourite stage, or favourite performance. IGSSA Dance was one of the most exciting, fulfilling and highest points of every year at Santa Maria, that’s always reminded and given me the space to have fun, be who I want to be and do it all with a smile and pointed toes! Abbey Sullivan, Year 12.
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
