From July 28th to 30th, the Performing Arts students took the arduous journey to Mt Evelyn for our annual Performing Arts Camp. Instrumental Music students, Production cast and crew, and VCE music students were all invited to participate in the three-day, intensive program.
The IM and VCE students formed the Performing Arts Camp Band, better known as the PAC Band. Students broke into sections and learned their various pieces for the PAC Band, worked on songwriting, as well as spending time on other performance pieces they are continuing to develop.
Production students ran intensive dance, acting and singing rehearsals in the lead up to production week. Finishing touches were added to set pieces, “Let Us Dance” posters were painted, and the show itself was polished.
During downtime students had the opportunity to chill, jam, continue writing songs, or work on their talent show acts, but during this time we also had a lot of mentoring with our more experienced students supporting younger or more inexperienced students with their instruments, lines, acting, singing, and dancing.
On the last night, the attendees and staff of the camp were blessed with the talent show, where students are free to explore their talents in a completely supportive environment. During the talent show we see everything from original dances and compositions to stories being read and quick facts about fire stations. Of course, we also had the latest episode of the serial dramady “Italian Man”, which has been running for four years.
On Friday morning after the cleanup, each program has the opportunity to perform for each other before heading home for a well-earned rest. Although we’re not on high ropes, canoes, or trekking up mountains, it really is an intensive camp and makes such a difference to every attendee, in their performing arts skills as well as their social connections.
Performing Arts Camp will be running again in 2026, and information will be available to all students in the Performing Arts programs in Term One.
