Joining thousands of young performers in one of the world’s biggest school based performances, 16 Inverell dancers will feature on national television as part of Schools Spectacular on Saturday night.
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With 12 featuring in the combined dance ensemble, Alex Jeffery in the Aboriginal dance company, Jade Hills in hip hop, Emi Campbell in the d’arts ensemble and Bella Youman in state dance; locals will have plenty of opportunities to spot the Inverell High students.
“A lot of people are saying for such a small school, we’re now increasing represented across the board in a number of different things,” supervising teacher Cath Jeffery said.
Several are performance veterans, and look forward to the event each year. For Alex Jeffery, her final Schools Spectacular will one to remember, after she was chosen to feature in acknowledgement of country, which will open the event.
Alex huddled together with five other girls from her dance company at 4am on Narrabeen Beach to make the acknowledgement. It’s a moment she treasures, along with the small group of dancers, who’ve become like family.
Jhonty Scott, in her third year of Schools Spec, said she’d grown closer to her fellow performers on each trip. She enjoyed this year the most.
“I think you get used to it more, which means you get less nervous each time, which makes you have more fun when you’re less nervous,” she said.
“When you look up when you’re walking out onto the tarkett, it’s kind of scary, seeing all those faces. But you don’t really think about it when you’re dancing,” Anna Marshall said.
Also in her third year, she said it could be strange to watch yourself on television.
“It’s different because sometimes you wonder what you look like when you dance and then you see yourself and it’s ‘oh, do I really look like that?’” she said.
Maddie Rodgers agreed that the 2018 event was one of the best.
“I love this year compared to the other years. There’s a lot more energy this year, and it’s really fun,” she said.
“Each year I look forward to it, and it’s the best thing ever.”
Cath thanked mothers Julieanne Rodgers, Teena Myler and Jenny Campbell for their invaluable support.
Schools Spectacular airs on Channel Seven from 7pm. Several Inverell dancers will feature in segment three, and can be spotted wearing royal blue, gold and light blue, dancing to Kylie Minogue.
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