Footloose

In week four of this term the combined Avonside and Shirley Boys' musical Footloose was performed. The planning and hard work from students and staff culminated in an energetic and professional show. There were many stand-out moments during the season, with lead performers rising to the occasion and showing talent and skill vocally and in terms of acting ability. The choreography was awesome and it allowed dancers to shine and the full ensemble to come alive. The production team sorted great props and costumes and the stage and tech crews demonstrated organisation and professionalism. Overall the standard of the show was very high and the audiences appreciated a polished and high-quality production. Support from our wider school community was great, with large audiences every night and a full house on the final night.

A show like this does not occur without the support of a wide range of people and as director, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the large number of staff from the two schools who gave their time willingly to provide this opportunity for our students. It was a real privilege to work with this team. As for the cast of 70 students - your enthusiasm, positivity and talent were outstanding. We could not have asked for a more dedicated group of students to work with and share this journey with. Thank you to everybody involved.

Arts Council

The Avonside Arts Council has led several activities to date this year including a colouring competition revolving around Footloose, and a week of clay creating and decorating. Over 30 students turned up on Tuesday 29 June to create weird and wonderful objects out of clay. After a couple of drying days, everybody came back on Thursday 1 July to paint their creations before taking them home on Friday. A real highlight of this event was the opportunity for students from all year levels to mix and mingle in a relaxed and safe environment. The conversations were wonderful and the community benefit of activities like this was quickly made obvious to all involved.