“The arts are the languages of civilisation through which we learn to think and communicate, and interpret, explore and represent our own experience and that of others”
Cecily O’Neill, 2001.

The central issue in Arts education is the quality of the experience – this is how motivation arises and learning occurs. In every learning situation, the quality of the experience has been found to be a valid predictor of engagement and of school achievement in general. It is therefore our aim to make these experiences readily available to the performing arts students of Hillcrest Christian College.

Music, Drama and Dance are an integral part of the school curriculum at Hillcrest. All children from P–12 are encouraged to become literate and creative through the acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding in all areas of Music, Drama and Dance.

Music, Drama, Dance and FIlm, TV and New Meida are offered as electives in Years 8 to 12. In Senior Years, Hillcrest delivers the Board Registered courses of the Queensland Studies Authority.

Performing Arts Program

At Hillcrest, we provide – ‘Excellence and Innovation in Performance’

In the Classroom – this is achieved through a strong experiential approach to learning where we engage mind, body, voice and emotions. Drama, Dance, Music and Film studies are all ‘hands-on’, multi-sensory disciplines. By engaging the senses, the students have far greater opportunity to learn and retain information.

In the Primary years, this involves a Kodaly based program in Years 1 to 4 and two instrumental programs in Year 3 and 5, where violin, woodwind, brass and percussion tuition is available to all students as part of an integrated music program.

In the Co-curricular Program – this is achieved through a strong focus on singing and acting skills, underpinned by a large choral program involving over 200 students and regular, professionally staged productions in the College’s outstanding performing arts facilities . Students receive instruction from industry professionals with genuine national and international experience in musical theatre.

At Hillcrest, we -‘Remove the Obstacles and Create the Opportunities’

• Dynamic Learning Environment
• Imagination, Creativity, Communication
• Development of Individual Potential
• Self-Discipline, Self-Confidence, Self-Discovery

Drama

Drama develops articulate, creative, self-confident and socially aware students who participae in a collaborative and entertaining way. Dramatic activity, involving physical, intellectual and emotional indentification provides a stimulating environment in which students can broaden their experience. Its essence is the establishment of meaning through enactment.

Benefits of drama:
The collaborative nature of drama as an art form provides students with opportunities to learn to manage the processes of drama and the interpersonal and intrapersonal skills required to work effectively, both individually and in groups. Such skills are essential to give students – in a changing society – a critically active orientation necessary to play a full part in their own culture, the culture of others and the world of work.

Central concepts:
Drama is explored through the dimensions of forming, presenting and responding. These three dimensions are interrelated and complementary.

Speech and Drama

Speech and Drama is offered for individuals or in small groups from Prep to Yr 12. Lessons are designed to suit the needs of the individual student. The building of confidence through the development of skills in performance is of particular importance. Throughout the year, there is the opportunity to compete in various Drama Festivals/ Eisteddfods, as well as examinations for those who choose to do so.

To be able to speak with confidence and clarity is a very important life skill. Drama offers the opportunity to take on another role and yet teaches us so much about ourselves.

Speech and Drama offers students the opportunity to:
Work at their own pace
Develop confidence through verbal and non-verbal communication
Improve listening skills
Improve imagination, concentration, focus and expression
Improve freedom of movement through improvisation and mime
Interpret literature – poetry, prose, drama
Compete in examinations, eisteddfods, drama festivals (optional)
Develop skills in public speaking and stage presentations
Work towards correcting problem speech sounds and difficulties
Develop creative expression
Support the development of vocabulary through literature and improve conversational English for the ESL student

Dance

Dance is an art that is applicable to all ages. It is rich in movement, expression, rhythm and dramatic play. In the lower years it assists in coordination, patterning, rhythm, body awareness and listening skills. Skills of which apply to reading, writing and general learning. It is fun and active, allowing for interaction on all levels. Dance and Creative arts are essential aspects of your child’s development and is integrated throughout Hillcrest. We provide many opportunities for interaction with dance throughout primary school, in dance clubs, dance classes, show and stage plays. We encourage and foster the love of dance as we see its role in learning.

Dance is integrated throughout the College. It is not only offered as a co-curricular program to Primary and Secondary students, but it is also offered as a curricular elective to secondary students.

In dance, students study the functions of dance – artistic, ritual and social; forms and styles and develop an understanding of the core concepts of dance such as choreography , performing and appreciation.

Choreography involves combing and constructing patterns of movement in space with dynamics to create meaning, to express personal ideas and tell stories.

Appreciation is the understanding how and why dance is made, the techniques used in its design and the stylistic elements that place it in a particular context. It also develops the evaluation and research in order to critique dance.

Performance develops the technical and expressive skills of dance. Skills include strength, balance, flexibility co-ordination and focus.

The benefits of studying dance develops creativity and aesthetic awareness, provides a means of communication and assists students’ in their education across a range of curriculum areas as well as it prepares them to actively participate in adult life.

The College has a specialist dance room complete with a ‘sprung floor’.

Dance is also an integral part of College musicals and is frequently highlighted at special events.

Musical Productions

The College is committed to regularly showcasing student talent. One area which combines the various performance gifts of students is musicals.

Each year, the College produces, and performs in our Theatre, a Primary and Secondary Musical. In 2006, the middle years performed Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” which from 31st May – 3rd June 200.

In the last few years, we have performed the following musicals:

2003 “The Singer”
2004 “The People’s Prince”
2004 “Pirates of Penzance”
2005 “Crazy For You”
2005 “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”
2006 “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
2007 Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado”
2008 “Wizard of Oz”
2009 “Sound of Music”

Music

Students in Years 8-12 may choose music as an elective subject. Hillcrest delivers a P-10 program which adheres to the guidelines set by the Queensland School Curriculum Council and in Years 11-12, the program is aligned to the new QSA senior music syllabus. Secondary students will encounter a wide range of repertoire from various social and cultural contexts. This includes vocal music, musical theatre, world music, piano music, twentieth century art music, orchestral music, blues, jazz, film music, as well as rock and popular styles.

The course aims to develop students’ deep appreciation for and understanding of music. They will not just know about music , but will experience it deeply and be able to operate with it. Technology is integrated into the program, through the use of the notation program, Sibelius , as well as other computer-based activities. It is important to note that this course is designed to complement a student’s own instrumental or vocal tuition and it is expected that students will participate in at least one musical ensemble within the school, such as a choir or band.

Film, TV and New Media

The three central objectives of Film, TV and New Media include:

Critique – the analysis and evaluation of media products (their own and others) and contexts of production uses.

Design – creating proposals for media products using preproduction formats. This may include script writing, story boarding, screen shots, promotional material and soundtrack development.

Production – creating media products using production practices. This may include short films, music videos, movie trailers, micro documentaries, advertisements and animation.

Throughout the year the students’ work revolves around the subject’s five key areas, namely technologies, representations, audiences, languages and how each of these impact on the creation, production, distribution and understanding of moving image media such as films, television programs, music videos, advertisements, animation and computer games

To view our Performing Arts prospectus, click here: Performing Arts Prospectus