Liam McNally
Keen-eyed AFL grand final viewers in the west may have been surprised to see some of Ravenhall’s best young dancers performing alongside international rock band KISS during the mammoth pre-game entertainment.
It was only a month out from the big game that Kstar Studios got the call offering for 50 of their students to take to the field of the MCG and join 450 other dancers performing the classic Rock and Roll All Nite – performing at one of the nation’s biggest sporting events alongside one of the world’s biggest bands.
Seven-year-old Fraser Rise performer, Cuban, even got the opportunity to take centre stage, back to back with Tommy ‘The Spaceman’ Thayer for his guitar solo.
Cuban said he loved every minute.
“My back-to-back with Spaceman was my dream come true,” he said.
Kstar Studios founder-director Karen Jehodo said she and her team were screaming and crying watching the show come to fruition, with her students in the spotlight.
“They were so excited, this is the biggest thing… they were blown away to perform in a stadium with the world’s biggest rock band,” she said.
“I always want to find ways for our children to shine on stage and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for them.”
Ms Jehodo said it was a whirlwind month for the students, supported by a “crack team” for choreography, make-up and 500 costumes.
On the day students arrived at the Ravenhall studio five hours before the performance where they were readied with costumes and make-up, before a bus took them into the big performance, and straight out again afterwards.
Another ‘Mini-Kiss’ performer, seven year old Quba Thillalem of Tarneit, summed up the enormity of it all.
“I feel so lucky that I was on stage with KISS, I will never forget that moment.”
