The Aboriginal Dance Company will participate in rehearsals during Term 3, Week 7 and Term 3, Week 9 in preparation for the State Dance Festival on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 September 2024. These rehearsals will take place at Bangarra Dance Theatre and Sydney Dance Company in Dawes Point and the Seymore Centre in Chippendale. An in depth rehearsal schedule can be found below. We ask that students please arrive at rehearsals 15 to 20 minutes before the 9 am start time and allow appropriate travel time. Students should not plan to leave rehearsals prior to 3 pm. 

Please complete the permission form by Monday 12 August 2024 to provide appropriate permissions for: 

1. students to walk/not to go to the IGA during break times whilst rehearing in Week 1 and 2.
2. students to visit Westfield Broadway during supervised lunch breaks at the Seymore Centre
3. travel via private bus from Bangarra Dance Theatre to the Seymore Centre to attend rehearsals on 18 and 19 September only. 

Rehearsal and performance schedule

The expectation is for all Aboriginal Dance Company students to participate in the full rehearsal schedule attatched. Students will be in rehearsals each day from 9 am – 3 pm, if there are any changes to the arrival or finish times, they will be informed prior to the day. For all rehearsals, students will be required to be dressed in appropriate and comfortable dance rehearsal attire. Please take note of the dates that your children are required for their relevant group. If you are unsure of what group your child is in please see the student list below:

Below is an overview that includes rehearsal times and locations:

If for any reason there are clashes with the rehearsal schedule, you will need to directly contact the program coordinator Ashley Napoleoni on 8512 1190 or 0434567413 to gain approval for an exemption.

Costumes

Please complete the costume measurement form by Monday 22 July so that we can start preparing costumes for the State Dance Festival. For assistance with taking costume measurements, please use the below guide.

What to bring

• Bring a packed recess/lunch and water bottle to all rehearsal days. There is a cafe at the end of the wharf (Mr Jones), however it can get very busy and expensive. There is an IGA supermarket located on Hickson road. The students will not be able to leave the wharf to go there unless they have been given permission to walk there independantly (using the permission form linked at the top of this article). It is open very early and you can stop on your way to the studios to pick up lunch if needed. They have great sandwiches. 
• Students should come to rehearsals dressed in dance wear and have hair tied up and away from their face.
• Students should receive their company tshirt in the first rehearsal week. 
• All medications must be kept in a clear ziplock bag with the student’s name clearly marked, please let the Arts Initiatives team know if you have any medications and we will send the relevant documentation through to complete. 
• Please make sure your name is clearly marked on belongings and leave unnecessary valuables at home.

Getting to rehearsals

On the first rehearsal day, (Monday 2 September) all students will be met by Ashley Napoeloni just through the Wharf 4/5 sign as pictured below. We ask that you aim to please arrive at 8:45 am and allow appropriate travel time.

Paid parking is available along Hickson Rd, and there are Wilsons parking stations close by. If you are travelling by public transport, Bangarra Dance Theatre is approximately a 15 minute walk from Circular Quay train station. At 9 am, the students will enter Bangarra Dance Theatre and begin the first rehearsal. At the request of Bangarra Dance Theatre, the rehearsals are closed to non department staff. 

If on the day you are running late, we ask that you inform Ashley Napoleoni on 0434 567 413.

Bangarra Dance Theatre: Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point NSW 2000