Adelaide - Charles Campbell School

I'm a little behind in blogging! apologies!

Pic is of Victoria Square, Adelaide City Centre

So Adelaide.... busy week of visiting schools, arts centre's and Ausdance. Also of making some friends and enjoying a little bit of the Aussie way of life. Spent some time with teachers from England who have moved over here to live and work - the benefits they are experiencing and their satiafaction with the decision they have made was very persuasive!

Needless to say the 9hour train journey from Melbourne to Adelaide was a little uncomfortable but highlighted just how expansive this country is - which has been a recurring comment this week regarding progression in dance here.
Sunday was spent establishing my bearings - walk of surroundings, buying some food, spreading out all my stuff in the hostel room! That evening I met with a friend of a friend who has moved out here form the UK. Steph is a primary school teacher and currently supply teaching and loving it. She welcomed me to Adelaide and drove me down to Glenelg for a walk along the beach! Steph had invited to me to a BBQ with a British couple, also recently moved here and also both teachers! This was my first Oz BBQ and it was great chatting to those who have moved here about the opportuities and advantages.

Monday and Tuesday - I spent at Charles Campbell Secodary School in an area known as Paradise. Yes! I got on the bus which said 'City to Paradise'. Ironic eh?
Charles Campbell Secondary School (CCSS) is a school of around 1000 students with a specialism in Performing Arts amongst other areas. I was there during a very busy period which every dance teacher recognises as assessments and performance nights!

I had a fantastic two days at Charles Campbell Secondary School - specialising in Performing Arts it was fantastic to walk into a department of 8 - and thats just drama and dance! Students showed real commitment in their lessons and a passion for whatever artform they were studying. There was clear evidence of support for the Arts wherever you looked (and a sizable budget to prove it too!), this produced on the main very high achieving Perfroming Arts students. My second day with CCSS involved the teching of their dance show and its performance that night. A very relaxed atmosphere as students and staff were accustomed to the routine and agenda of teching and preparing for the perfromance. The show highlighted the high levels of ability, mainly due to the schools selective entry system - where students must audition and show commitment/focus if they want to pursue an certain art form for a year.

Dance is not compulsory in SACCS, you only have to provide at least one art form. Charles Campbell provides 5! Which all students expereince in their first year, then they can select to be more focused in one/two areas but will still learn in all of them! Students in the general classes are assessed in technique (they have to do a technique class!), composition, perfromance, a journal and a research assignment. And that's in Yr8! I just loved it - the discipline and the all round learning being out into place so early.

With abundant resources from apple mac's (every teacher), variety of dance books/DVD/CD the students are given every opportunity to effectively complete assignments and produce work of a high standard.

A massive thanks to Mary-Lou, Kerry, Judi, Kim and all the Perfroming Arts staff for making me feel so welcome!