By Derek Schlennstedt
On Monday 12 August, Mount Dandenong Primary School took to the stage at the Frankston Arts Centre for Wakakirri – Australia’s largest performing arts event for schools, telling story through dance.
‘Waka’ as it’s called by the Mount Dandenong Primary community is a much loved tradition, with generations of students taking part over the past 12 years.
This is Mt Dandenong’s sixth Waka performance, with the school having a track record at Waka of making the finals each time.
This year’s performance is called ‘Where the Wildlings Are’ which tells the story of the tussle between corporate development and Hills locals who wish to keep our unique environment as is.
Mount Dandenong Primary School Principal Sally Alderton said Wakakirri is a true community effort, with everyone at the school getting involved.
“Our school community comes together to create all of the wonderful costumes and sets, plus to promote whole-school collaboration, we open Waka to the younger students so that everyone from Year 1 onwards can be part of the Waka experience.”
“Every second year we work with the students to find out what sort of issue or story they’re interested in telling.”
“Two years ago, it was the plight of the bees and we went through to the finals.”
“This years performance tells the story of ‘Where the Wildlings Are’, a place where nature and willings coexist harmoniously until developers arrive to change the landscape.”
“Protestors help the Wildlings to keep the environment safe from developer’s disastrous work – for now. The teachers and students chose this topic for Waka as it is resonates with our community, the ongoing tussle to preserve the Hills environment from over-development”.
