Arts Up Front

At JPC, when students study Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts or Photography and Media, they develop skills in the areas of creative and critical thinking, collaboration, and effective communication skills while developing new friendships. Additionally, these subjects begin developing realistic and essential workplace skills like problem-solving, innovation, self-management and positive self-esteem.

Arts in the classroom:

Dance – Students in Years 8 – 12 studying Dance this term have been exposed to different dance styles like hip-hop, contemporary and vogueing. Dance lessons have required students to not only learn choreography reflective of a particular style, but also compose their own performances demonstrating technique.

Drama – Drama has seen students in Year 7 develop and refine physical theatre skills by learning about different practitioners to devise their own performances. In Years 9 – 12, Drama students are exploring the historical and contextual influences that have shaped the world of theatre to inspire their own unique performances.

Music – Music students have been busy mastering their musicianship across a range of instrumentation. From Introductory Music in Year 7 to Year 9 – 12 students ‘mastering their craft’ and College Bands, Music students have a hands-on approach to their learning.

Photography – Students in Year 9 – 12 studying Photography have been exploring how to manipulate images to reflect particular themes. By using the SLR cameras, students have been manipulating photographic devices in the style of street photography.

Visual Arts – Visual Arts students have been exposed to various artmaking practices like ceramics, sculpture and printmaking. These mediums allow for exploration of communicating meaning and self-expression.

Arts on location:

The learning doesn’t stop in the classroom. This term, Music students attended a workshop with Grammy Award winning musician, Skip Martin. Photography and Media students have visited the Gunghalin centre and Yerrabi Ponds to capture their take on the theme ‘first world problems’. Drama students are preparing for next term’s performances with different industry experts and will attend shows at Canberra Theatre next term, not to forget the lunchtime clubs like Theatre Thursdays and Music Sessions. The Arts are alive with the sound of learning!

Mrs Sarah Smith
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – The Arts