Specialist Performing Arts Program (SPA)

From contemporary, tap, acro, cultural, jazz, hip hop to classical dance genres (and more), explore the rhythms of the world and unleash your inner dancer! Students will work with in-house and industry professional choreographers to experience a variety of performance types. Coming from elite dance backgrounds themselves, our staff work incredibly hard to bridge the gap between ‘school’ and ‘industry’ dance performance, taking high school dance to new levels. Working with young dancers ranging in abilities from beginner – elite, our program also supports performers to choreograph their own breath-taking routines and dive into diverse dance styles that transcend time and culture. Students will train in a broad range of genres across years 7 – 10 and perform many times throughout their time in the program inclusive of the annual Choreography Night and Dance Showcase. Other dance related performance opportunities include our annual in-house dance competition, and a variety of Perth dance competitions for our Elite Dance Troupes (more information below).

At Wanneroo Secondary College, we pride ourselves on offering a vibrant extracurricular program for our students, including our renowned elite dance troupes. These dance troupes run adjacently to our SPA Dance classes; with 4 elite dance troupes by audition each year on offer to our years 7 – 12 students. Our dance troupes provide an excellent opportunity for students to explore their passion for dance, develop their skills, and showcase their talent through engaging performances. Led by experienced and dedicated teachers, our troupes offer a supportive and inclusive environment where students can thrive and grow as dancers.

Since their creation in 2021, (*Nefarious est. 2023) we have been incredibly fortunate to have had a variety of performance opportunities for our troupes outside of our competition seasons and invites to Nationals. With thanks to our friends at The Performance Company and Matrix Pro Academy of the Arts, we have performed at numerous Western Force games and the 2023 Scorchers BBL Grand Final in recent seasons. We have been so fortunate to have performed for both the Family Festival and live broadcast on Channel 7 at Telethon for multiple years. We have even had students invited to join the Telethon Openings, dancing backup for Australian talent! We have even had the pleasure of performing in the ballroom at Crown Perth opening the 2022 WACSSO Conference and look forward to sourcing more corporate performance opportunities in the future. For more information, please follow the below link to our current troupe handbook document!

As students’ progress beyond the program, upper-school pathways on offer range from general to ATAR, and we look forward to implementing a Certificate pathway for our dancers in the future.

Step into the spotlight and embark on a journey of theatrical excellence! Learn the art of stagecraft, from acting to directing, and bring stories to life with your captivating performances. The specialist program extends the boundaries of the regular curriculum by deep diving into the world of drama and working with a variety of styles and practitioners. dramatic abilities alongside their peers in the program. Through this part of the program, students delve into reading, writing, listening, speaking, and performance skills, while also laying the groundwork for understanding, reflecting upon, and analysing various creative expressions. The lower school curriculum stands out as a distinctive offering, emphasizing practical exploration of drama conventions, fostering academic comprehension, and refining performance abilities, thus providing educational experiences in drama. As student’s progress to upper school, a diverse array of courses tailored to different pathways, including ATAR, awaits them.

Participants in the program expand their understanding and appreciation of drama as both an art form and a practical life skill. They engage with industry professionals, such as seasoned actors and directors, to delve into scripted drama and cultivate specialized expertise.

Central to the program is performance, where students showcase their talents in front of diverse audiences across a range of theatrical venues. Drama students have their own variety of in-house performance opportunities and will have a wide range of external performance opportunities for audiences too including a Songologue Competition and One-Act-Play Festival.

Learn what the music industry has to offer in all of it’s different roles! Being and instrumentalist and/or vocalist has never been more exciting. Students in the specialist music program have access to the renowned Instrumental & Vocal Music (IMSS) program, mastering their chosen instrument and delving into the intricacies of musical theory. Throughout the years, students are immersed in contemporary, jazz and western art music, as well as learning the more “hidden” talents of sound engineering, song-writing and stage-craft. Students that are in the Specialist Music class also have access to playing in various ensembles like rock bands, concert band, guitar ensemble, funk band and choir.

This program focusses on providing performance opportunity at all times! Throughout their school music career, students can find themselves performing on campus at lunch time concerts, formal showcase events and summer concerts. We also love to venture out and show off our talents at the IMSS Festival and The Ellington Jazz Club each year, and encourage and help students to be involved with external ensembles like WAYJO (WA Youth Jazz Orchestra), WAYO (WA Youth Orchestra) and Community Theatre productions.

Refine and develop your skills as a performer even further with the combined discipline Specialist Performing Arts (SPA) class each week, where you work with your entire cohort to develop industry-based skills. Within these classes you will further your classroom training and produce and perform musicals, learn a variety of performance skills, go behind the scenes into the world of theatre technology and more! It is the culmination of our training that occurs in these classes which is in addition to your 2 x specialist subjects.

What’s involved:

• 5 classes per week (2x in 1st subject, 2x in 2nd subject and a combined specialist class once per week)
• PLENTY of performances and opportunities to work on stage and behind the scenes in each individual discipline, and in the combined format.
• Upper School: A variety Cert, General and ATAR Pathways available across all subjects
• Optional: USA Specialist Performing Arts Tour

Extra-curricular Opportunities

• Elite Dance Troupes
• Senior School Play (Years 10 –  12 – alternating years)
• Senior School Musical (Years 10 – 12 – alternating years)
• Various bands/ensembles
• USA Performing Arts Tour
• Excursions
• & more!