News

An intergenerational multi-arts performance project coordinated by QUT Dance connected high school students with elders from their regional community.

The collaborative Body Stories series of workshops saw Tullawong State High School students work with elders from their regional community from January through March 2013.

Supported by the Australia Council for the Arts, Arts QLD, QPAC and QUT Creative Industries Faculty, participants engaged in dance, film, music composition and choreographic practices exploring stories about the body.

The artistic team of 12 artists, creatives and academics delivered creative movement workshops at the Caboolture-based high school over the course of nine weeks.

Year 11 and 12 film, television and music students collaborated to capture and create vision and audio documenting the workshops.

A first performance was shown at Tullawong State High School, with the project culminating in a performance in QUT's Woodward Theatre in late March.

Tullawong State High School dance teacher Zoe Wells said the project proved transformative for the students and has been a "wonderful" professional development opportunity for the dance staff.

"All involved have been challenged and look at dance teaching, learning and creation in a new light. This project has opened people's eyes up to what dance is and what it can be and in doing so has highlighted the collaborative possibilities within the school," Ms Wells said.

A Tullawong State High School Year 12 student said that it had been a great experience working with the artists and learning about choreography, technique and the dance industry.

"Teenagers today don't have much connection to the elderly so it has been great to work with them in this project," he said.

QUT head of dance Associate Professor Gene Moyle said that the opportunity for students to connect not only with professional artists and dance educators, but with elders within the local community, was a significant opportunity to demonstrate how dance can bring people from various groups together in a wonderful shared experience.

"QUT Dance is very proud of the energy and effort invested by so many people to make this project such a success," Associate Professor Moyle said.

"I am confident that the experience for all involved is one that will potentially give them a clear picture of what a difference dance can make to the lives of many."

Organisation

QUT Dance

Info

Gene Moyle

Phone

07 3138 3616

Email

g.moyle@qut.edu.au

URL

Study Dance at QUT