Enquiries
Individual dancer (massed dance)
An opportunity for individual students whose school is not involved as a group in this category the opportunity to participate in massed dance at Pulse Alive 2027.
How to apply
Nominations for individual dancer (massed dance) for Pulse Alive 2027 are open Monday 12 October 2026 (Term 4 Week 1) and close on Friday 4 December 2026.
Eligibility and selection
Following its successful introduction in 2027, Pulse Alive are once again offering individual students whose school is not involved as a group in the massed dance category the opportunity to participate via the category of individual dancer (massed dance).
Participation as an individual dancer (massed dance) is open to individual students who currently attend a NSW public school from:
- Years 3 to 6 in 2027 (primary dance)
- Years 7 to 12 in 2027 (secondary dance).
Students of all backgrounds and abilities are encouraged to nominate. The Pulse Alive team will work with students, parents and schools to any modifications or special provisions required for students with individual needs are met. There is no audition video required to be part of the massed dance cast.
Rehearsal and performance dates for students participating in this category are listed below. Due to the complex logistics around providing duty of care to students participating in this category, we are currently unable to offer this category for any other performances.
Students will be provided with video resources to help them learn the choreography in December 2026. Students will then need to attend one preliminary rehearsal in February or March 2027 (see key dates below). It is expected that students participating in this category will have learnt the choreography prior to this rehearsal.
Please note, it is not possible for a student to participate as an individual dancer (massed dance) as well as another category. Successful students will require the endorsement of their school principal to participate. Students are encouraged to discuss their nomination with a teacher at their school prior to submission.
Students participating in this category will be supervised by members of the Pulse Alive team. Schools will not be expected to provide a teacher for duty of care of these students.
Please note, this category is for individual students. School groups wishing to participate in massed dance should apply via the massed dance category.
Key dates
| Date | Term/week | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 12 Oct 2026 | Term 4 Week 1 | Nominations open |
| Fri 4 Dec 2026 | Term 4 Week 8 | Nominations close |
| Fri 11 Dec 2026 | Term 4 Week 9 | Confirmation of participation and distribution of teaching resources |
| Mon 22 Feb 2027 | Term 1 Week 5 | Preliminary rehearsal – primary individual dancers only |
| Thu 4 Mar 2027 | Term 1 Week 6 | Preliminary rehearsal – secondary individual dancers only |
| Tue 16 Mar 2027 | Term 1 Week 8 | Performance day – cast B (secondary individual dancers only) |
| Fri 19 Mar 2027 | Term 1 Week 8 | Performance day – cast D (primary individual dancers only) |
Rehearsals
Time: 8:30 am – 3:15 pm
Venue: Netball Central – 2 Olympic Boulevard, Sydney Olympic Park
- All individual dancers (massed dance) must attend a full-day preliminary rehearsal prior to Pulse Alive 2027.
- Dates listed in key dates (above) will be confirmed to students on acceptance into the show in late Term 4.
- Students are expected to attend their preliminary rehearsal in person.
- Students will be required to attend their preliminary rehearsal for the full day. Transport arrangements must be made to ensure students arrive before the start of the rehearsal and are able to stay all the way through until the end of the rehearsal.
- Provision will be made for students with more than 2 hours travel time from Sydney Olympic Park participating as an individual dancer (massed dance) to attend their preliminary rehearsal virtually if required.
Performance day
- Performance day includes a compulsory final rehearsal, venue rehearsal and performance.
- Students should expect to be in attendance from 8 am to 10 pm on their performance day. Final schedule details will be communicated in early Term 1 2027.
- All students must attend these compulsory rehearsals in person.
Choreography
All choreography for the event will be distributed to students by video link on Monday 7 December (Term 4 Week 9).
Before students arrive at their preliminary rehearsal, they must have learnt:
- item choreography
- finale choreography.
Costume
The costume for all massed dance items will be as follows:
- Coloured Pulse Alive t-shirt – this is the show t-shirt that is included within your student resource fee and will be a different colour depending on which item you have been allocated.
- Long black tights/pants – supplied by students. We are pretty flexible on what these are, as long as they are preferably full length.
- White socks – supplied by students.
- White shoes with white soles – supplied by students. See photos for examples.
Any white shoes are fine as long as they also have white soles (this is so we don’t damage the flooring that we will be dancing on). It is fine if the top of the shoes has small sections that aren’t white – as long as white is the dominant colour. White shoes are available at a low cost from stores like Kmart and Big W.
As with previous years, an optional hoodie will be made available for ordering for students that wish to do so. This information will be distributed in early Term 4.
Hair and make-up
Hair
- Students with longer hair: High slicked ponytail with no hair on the face. Ponytail should be styled ie straightened, curled, etc
- Students with shorter hair: Neat, styled hair off the face
- Optional: coloured accessories to match colour of Pulse Alive t-shirt ie hair ties, glitter, ribbon, bows, gems, etc
- See the hair tutorial section below for further guidance on appropriate hair styles.
Make-up
- Make-up is optional. Should you wish for your students to wear it, please consider the following as a guide:
- Base: stage makeup ie foundation, bronzer,
- Additions: blush, brown/bronze toned eyeshadow, black eyeliner, black mascara and red lipstick
Hair tutorial
Students with longer hair
High, slicked ponytail tied tightly on the crown of the head
It is suggested you use:
- A small amount of water to smooth the hair and flatten any flyaway hairs (no hair to be on faces, including fringes)
- Apply a small amount of gel and comb through the scalp, styling hair up into the high ponytail
- Secure the ponytail with a minimum of 2 hair ties that match the colour of the hair or are clear
- Spray into place with hairspray and secure any hair if needed with bobby pins.
Students with shorter hair
Neatly combed and gelled hair
It is suggested you use:
- A small amount of water to smooth the hair and flatten any flyaway hairs (no hair to be on faces, including fringes)
- Apply a small amount of gel, then comb and style.
Resource fee
There will be a resource fee of $120 per student to participate as an individual dancer (massed dance).
The resource fee assists with the costs involved in the conductors, choreographers and tutors working with the students, supports a number of music clearance costs and the creation of teaching resources and includes a Pulse Alive t-shirt, which will be worn by all performers as their costume during the event.
Individual dancers (massed dance) will be required to pay the resource fee through The Arts Unit student payment portal on acceptance into the show.
Important info for participants
- Third-party content attributions
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Pulse Alive images, photographer: Anna Warr
