ISSUE 16

Spring 2018 Walsall Academy Performing Arts Magazine

This is the sixteenth edition of the Inside this issue Performing Arts Magazine. We hope you will Music Showcase enjoy reading about all of the Dance Showcase exciting and enjoyable activities and performances that have Primary Outreach happened during the Spring Term. Children’s University Star Students

Plus much more! PAGE 2

A Night with Queen

On Wednesday 11 October, the talented vocalists at Walsall Academy conquered the challenging music of the mighty Freddie Mercury and Queen. Students from Year 10 and above performed a solo in front of a sell-out audience who were entertained from start to finish and thoroughly enjoyed the selection of songs and performances. All students worked incredibly hard with very difficult music to make the evening a success. Some of the highlights included ‘The Show Must Go On’ performed by Ellymai, ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ performed by Rio, ‘You’re My Best Friend’ performed by Renne and ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ by Alex.

Blood Brothers

An incredible night of entertainment was had with our recent performance of Willy Russell’s acclaimed show ‘Blood Brothers’. The Year 11 Acting class showed excellent professionalism and outstanding performances on and off the stage. Notable achievements include both Ellymai and Tayla-Mae playing the role of Mrs Johnstone, Louise and Kimberly giving excellent portrayals of the malicious Mrs Lyons, and Daljit and Isaac in role as the twins separated at birth, Mickey and Edward. ISSUE 16 PAGE 3

Celebration of Christmas

On Monday 18 December, the Performing Arts team presented ‘A Night at the Christmas Movies’ as the theme for the Celebration of Christmas. The evening showcased an array of performances from students across all year groups. For some of our students this was their very first performance on stage and they were excellent. The evening was a huge success with highlight performances from Kickstart Dance Company who performed Jingle Bell Rock, Drama Club and their version of ‘The Grinch who stole Christmas’ and Genevieve who sung ‘Walking in the Air’ beautifully. Well done to all of the performers you were outstanding.

Evening of Dance

On Wednesday 7 February the Dance Department showcased some assessment performances from a variety of classes as part of their BTEC course. The evening was a great success with performances in many different dance styles. Elmore Green Primary School also came to perform one of their pieces that they have been working on as part of our Outreach work. There were many highlights from the evening but most notably our Year 9 BTEC group which for some was their very first assessed performance in front of a live audience. Sophie and Sadie also from Year 9 performed a beautiful duet. Well done to everyone who took part in a fantastic evening of Dance. PAGE 4

New Generation Boys Dance Company

On Thursday evening’s during Session 3, Mrs Ashwell has invited boys from Elmore Green Primary School and Little Bloxwich Primary School to come and take part in some Dance workshops here at the Academy. The workshops have been a great success and the boys performed brilliantly at the Dance Showcase on Wednesday 7 February. Well done boys, you were amazing!

Children’s University Year 8 Visit to University of Wolverhampton

On Thursday 1 and Thursday 8 February, Mrs Ashwell has taken some of our Year 8 students across to the University of Wolverhampton to take part in a morning of Performing Arts activities at the Performance Hub. The students were involved in learning a sequence of movement from the hit musical of ‘Hamilton’ and then they learnt how to create percussion phrases using parts of their body. As we are part of the Children’s University Scheme, this allows us to use the facilities at the University for free, we look forward to more opportunities in the future. A fantastic, worthwhile experience for all involved. ISSUE 16 PAGE 5

Celebration Evening

On Wednesday 8 November, Achievement Evening took place here at the Academy. The evening was a wonderful celebration of all of the achievements that the students have accomplished this year. Within Performing Arts we would like to make a special mention to the following students who received the Performing Arts awards; Victoria, Jessica and Bethan. These students worked fantastically within both Dance, Drama and Music throughout the whole year. A great achievement for them all.

Thomas Telford Dance Festival

On Wednesday 24 January, Mrs Ashwell took Unity Performance Group across to the Thomas Telford School in order to take part in a Dance Festival. The festival is organised by the West Midlands PGCE Dance students and is a fantastic way to celebrate the end of their first placement. All schools involved in hosting a PGCE student were invited and the sharing of Dance performances were wonderful for all to watch. A lovely afternoon of Dance. Well done to all of the students involved in performing. PAGE 6

Primary Outreach

DANCE Mrs Ashwell is currently working with Elmore Green Primary School and Ryders Hayes Primary School. Elmore Green Primary School have just completed a Dance performance which was performed at the Dance Showcase on Wednesday 7 February. The students were very excited to come and perform here at the Academy. Mrs Ashwell will now be working on a piece for the students to bring to the annual Celebration of Dance which is a two-day event, again held here at the Academy. The event is very popular and encompasses around ten of our local Primary Schools across the area.

Students in Year 4 at Ryders Hayes are learning a Dance piece to ‘Footloose’. They will be sharing their performance with another Year 4 class in a couple of week’s time and are working incredibly hard to practise their movements. Mrs Ashwell will be working with all of the classes at Ryders Hayes over the year to give them an exciting Dance experience with performance opportunities to build their confidence.

Our feeder Primary Schools have also been invited to come and watch our Matinee performance of ‘Hairspray’ the Musical which is taking place on Tuesday 20 March.

DRAMA Mrs Pattinson is working with Year 6 at Lower Farm Primary School and they are exploring ‘The Highway Man’. Techniques were used to develop their learning including a series of tableaux, thought tracking and mimes to atmospheric music. Year 5 have been studying ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, Mrs Pattinson created a number of different scripts for them to perform. Their main learning objective was to show different characters through facial expression, voice and gesture. They had lots of fun creating accents from around the world.

St Peter’s Catholic Primary School like the whole school to experience Drama, so Mrs Pattinson changes classes every half term. So far she has taught sessions on ‘The Vikings’, ‘The Amazon River’ and a more unusual request of ‘Different stages of life’. The students created a mime to music then made a modern day version.

Year 2 at Little Bloxwich Primary School have been creating performance poetry. Alongside this, Mrs Pattinson has been working with a group of newly qualified teachers to give them some advice and skills to deliver Drama in their sessions. She also helped to direct the infant nativity at Christmas. Year 2 are about to start the Arts Award which is a very exciting project for the students. ISSUE 16 PAGE 7

Sixth Form Drama Showcase

On Tuesday 16 January, Sixth Form Drama students showcased a performance piece based on ‘Online Grooming’ to Year 9 students. The piece created is part of their ‘Arts in the Community’ unit which requires them to tackle a current issue and present their performance to a selected group of people. Ellymai and Daljit were also recruited to take part in the performance and worked incredibly hard during Session 3 in order to present a difficult subject to their audience. A fantastic, hard-hitting performance by all involved, well done.

Hairspray the Musical Update! Rehearsals are well underway for our annual musical which this year is ‘Hairspray’. The students have been working incredibly hard and it is all starting to come together successfully. Our performance dates are Tuesday 20, Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 March and tickets will be on sale shortly for the cost of £4.00 or £3.50 if more than two are bought. Make sure to get yours soon to avoid disappointment! PAGE 8

Performing Arts Star Students

Key Stage 3

Drama Dance Music

Jessica is this term Star Evelyn is Star Student in Laura is Star Student this Student in Drama. She led Dance this term for her term in Music. Laura’s the cast of our Key Stage 3 amazing commitment in musical ideas and attitude to Drama Club production of both the Musical and Unity work are excellent, and she ‘The Grinch who Stole Performance Group. Evelyn always works to the best of Christmas’. Her narration is a talented performer and her ability. Laura is also was outstanding and her always gives 100% to each playing a lead role as one of commitment to rehearsals rehearsal. She most recently the ‘Dynamites’ in our school has been faultless. She even performed at the Thomas show Hairspray this year and managed to project her Telford Dance Festival and has some solo lines to sing. voice to fill the entire was fantastic. Keep up the She is both committed and Theatre, no mean feat! Well superb work Evelyn, well focussed and is a fantastic done Jessica! done. performer. Keep up the good work Laura!

Key Stage 4

Drama Dance Music

Daljit is this term Star Kate has made outstanding Ellymai is Star Student this Student. Alongside his progress this term in Dance term in Music. She is a studies in Acting, Daljit and is therefore star student. natural performer and has recently was handpicked to Kate is taking part in taken on a number of appear in a 6.2 Theatre in rehearsals for both the challenging solos recently. Education performance Musical and also with Unity She has performed ‘The based around the issues of Performance Group and has Show Must Go On’ and online grooming. Daljit gave developed her technique ‘When Christmas Comes to up his own time in Session 3 brilliantly. We are looking Town’. Ellymai is a to put together a thought- forward to Kate taking part committed member of ‘The provoking and inspirational in many more performance Academy Singers’. She is piece of original drama. Well opportunities. Well done hardworking and dedicated done Daljit. Kate. and will be very successful in Music. Well done Ellymai! ISSUE 16 PAGE 9

Session 3 Programme

As always, the Performing Arts Department offer a wide range of Session 3 activities for you to come and enjoy. Whatever your ability, come along and sign up - you don’t need to have any previous experience! Don’t forget that if you are in Year 7 or 8 you can add up hours to achieve awards through the Children’s University Scheme. You need to gain 30 hours for a Bronze Award, 65 hours for a Silver Award and 100 hours for a Gold Award. A great way to be recognised for all of the fantastic activities that you have been taking part in throughout the year.

Day Subject Activity Time

Monday Dance Kickstart Dance Company (KS3) 3.30pm-4.30pm

Performing Arts Hairspray Musical Rehearsals 3.30pm-5.00pm

Wednesday Drama Drama Club 3.30pm-4.30pm

Music Show Choir 3.30pm-4.30pm Dance Unity Performance Group 3.30pm-4.30pm

Thursday Dance Transitions Dance Company (KS4+5) 3.30pm-4.30pm Performing Arts Hairspray Musical Rehearsals 3.30pm-5.00pm