Students at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College have broken down cultural, linguistic and gender-based barriers to take out a statewide story-telling and dance competition.
The school and Rosebud College were joint winners of the ‘best story’ award at the Wakakirri secondary schools competition late last month.
Year 12 Hoppers Crossing student Kallie Dineen said her school’s performance, titled Break the Divide, was based on its motto ‘Prosperity through diversity’.
“Our story was about equality through cultures, languages, gender and sexuality,” she said.
“It’s an issue that’s important to us.
“For the performance, we built a wall between two groups.
“A girl from one of the groups finds herself on the wrong side of the wall, and after anguish and turmoil the groups decide to put their differences aside and come together to form one tribe.”
The performance also won awards for ‘best show-stopping group dance’ and ‘best choreography’.
Kallie said the students spent six months rehearsing before competing in the heats at Frankston Performing Arts Centre in August.
The choreography was led by student Temanawanui Paraha, while the students also designed and made the sets and costumes.
“Taking part in this has made us realise we can achieve things,” Kallie said. “We have all really bonded and made the school proud.”
