By Casey Neill
Two Greater Dandenong girls are starring in a spectacular stage show.
Noble Park resident Amy Davis and Alison Hughes, a year nine student at Noble Park North’s Carwatha College, will be part of the Victorian State Schools Spectacular at Hisense Arena on Saturday 10 September.
Students from Carwatha College, Silverton Primary School in Noble Park North and Lyndale Greens Primary School in Dandenong North are participating in the mass dance.
They will perform for more than 10,000 people during the two three-hour performances, which will also be screened on Channel 7.
Alison is an ensemble vocalist and dancer in the show, which is called The Elements and will feature the classical elements of earth, air, fire and water and the periodic table of elements.
Amy, 18, is among about 40 students in the choir and will sing about 18 songs and support the principal vocalists.
The year 12 student knew this was her last chance to be part of the event.
Following three auditions, she found out she’d made the cut in March and has since been attending three-hour rehearsals in Collingwood every Saturday.
“I was in it last year as well so I had some friends,” she said.
“About half of the choir is new people so I’ve made new friends.”
Amy first participated in the spectacular when she was in grade six at Noble Park’s Wallarano Primary School in the mass choir.
She said she enjoyed meeting new people, the performances, and receiving guidance on her vocals from industry professionals.
Amy said she would be sad once it was all over but that she would keep up with the skills she had learned.
The Wellington Secondary College student hopes to study education at university and perhaps become a singing teacher.
“I’ve learnt a lot from the teachers,” she said.
“We went to a recording studio yesterday to record one of the songs.
“We got to listen to it after we recorded it. It sounded really good.”
It was her first interaction with the recording process.
Amy is also a dancer, and has honed her skills in various dance styles at Car-Dee Dance Studio in Keysborough since she was four years old.
“I teach some of the younger group there,” she said.
Since its inception in 1995, the spectacular has offered 25,000 government school students of any age and experience level the opportunity to perform before 85,000 people in professional productions at world-class venues.
This year, more than 3000 students from 200 government schools will dance, play music, sing, perform puppetry and magic in the Victorian State Schools Spectacular, and manage the stage, lighting and audio.
There’ll be a 64-piece orchestra, a 1300-voice choir, 1200 mass dancers, 30 lead vocalists, 14 principal dancers, 16 ensemble dancers, eight backing vocalists, 22 roller skaters and 10 puppeteers.
The performances will take place at 1pm and 6.30pm on Saturday 10 September.
Tickets are $40.78 for adults, $30.58 concession, $20.39 for children aged three to 14 years.
Visit www.ticketek.com.au or call 132 849.
