Year 11 students Paiton Wilkinson and Paige Wilkie say performing on stage has helped improve their confidence.
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Paiton and Paige are part of the Camden Haven High School Extension Dance Company and went to Sydney with their peers to perform at the State Dance Festival.
The group participated in the Regional Dance Festival and then sent an audition video to apply for the State Dance Festival. The students went to Sydney on Wednesday, September 13 and performed across two nights on Thursday and Friday.
The contemporary style of dance the students performed was based on the concept of the fugitive.
“We’re all trying to run away and we’re actually all tied together by elastic,” Paiton said.
“Throughout the dance we get into smaller groups as everyone escapes.”
Paige said they had been performing the dance since the start of the year and rehearsing every Tuesday and Thursday at lunchtime.
Leading up to the Regional Dance Festival the students also had full days of practice.
There were 40 participating schools over the week long festival from all over the state.
Dance teacher Julia Livingston said she was incredibly proud of the students.
“Dance teaches more than the actual physical movement they get a lot more out of it in terms of confidence, working as a team and development of creative problem solving,” she said.
“They are skills they take into life.”
Paige and Paiton will continue to undertake dance as a subject in year 12.
As part of the event students also had the opportunity to attend workshops including a hip hop session with BJ Rorke.
Students also went to watch the Australian Dance Festival where Paige also competed.
The students are also competing at the Port Macquarie and District Eisteddfod on Thursday, September 21.