A Day in the Life
Australian Performing Arts Grammar School (APGS)
1. What does an average day timetable look like at APGS?
Our performing arts days have 3 blocks of classes where students attend their choice of performance classes. Other days can be all academic classes or a combination of classes. So we don’t really have a average day – each day there is something new to look forward to.
2. Do students have academic subjects as well as artistic ones? Or are there different artistic pathways to choose from?
Yes – students combine their academic program alongside their performing arts classes. Yes – students can choose from dance, drama, music, musical theatre, creative digital and visual arts. Some do a range of artistic pursuits while others specialise. All students have a major pathway and then choose electives as well.
3. What do your students say about you?
" APGS allows me to feel myself. I am comfortable surrounded by empowering and creative students. I knew the teachers would push me, encourage me, nurture me, all within a safe network. I previously attended a government school, but the environment was not as nurturing and I felt out of place. I heard about APGS through a former student when attending an external dance workshop (word of mouth).
The timetable was appealing to me as the academic was concentrated into one block. Thursday and Friday was a focus point for the creative arts – where I was able to have a clear head space to work on my individual creative pursuits. My key areas of creative arts are Dance, Visual Arts and Music. I’m now excelling academically as well as creatively due to feeling like I have found my tribe.
After Year 12 – I plan to pursue full time dancing and am keen to explore the world of choreography, but I’m also interested in Visual arts, interior design, digital technologies.
The APGS environment is very supportive and non judgemental. The community at the school is similar in the sense that we are all creative, striving to explore this and hence we all have something in common. I find it to be very collaborative and inclusive and I’m enjoying networking and building connections, especially with industry professionals.
My whole family have noticed I am so much happier at the school, doing academically stronger, more engaged with my learning. I have very much enjoyed learning with Lauren Elton, Brandon Luangrath, Jervis Livelo, Robbie Mejica, George Hoad, and Caroline Sinna and have studied Jazz, Contemporary/Lyrical, Hip Hop, Tap, Ballet, Musical Theatre and Acrobatics.” Ethan Papanicolaou
4. Who are your dance teachers and what styles do they teach?
We have Lauren Elton – jazz (pictured left)
Emily Casey – musical theatre
Brandon Luangrath -hip hop
Talia Fowler – ballet
Jess Girvan – Latin
Cassidy Nancarrow - contemporary
5. Do you offer any performance opportunities throughout the year?
Yes we have soirees for each of our performing arts pathways – so a dance focused concert, or a music focused concert – as well as larger scale productions that incorporate different performances from dance, drama, music and collaborations across these streams.
6. what do you look for in a dancer who might audition for your course?
A clear enthusiasm, enjoyment and passion for performing, as well as demonstrated skill. As most school students are still very much on a pathway, we are interested in potential for development more than the need to be very advanced at a young age.