Wakakirri is Australia’s Largest Performing Arts Event for Schools with separate events for Primary and Secondary schools. Each year schools across Australia create Story Dances for Wakakirri that reflect student’s thoughts, ideas and aspirations. These stories are performed in professional theatres in front of the official ‘Wakakirri Panel’ who are searching for ‘Story of the Year’.
“Arts Education at its very best.”
Does your school have a story to tell? A great story can change the way people think about the world around them. Wakakirri is a performing arts festival where schools aim to do just that.
Each year schools in across Australia create Story Dances to perform in Professional Theatres for audiences of family, friends and the official National panel searching for ‘Story of the Year’.
Wakakirri is the Ultimate Performing Arts endeavor for schools proven to develop student’s creative thinking, school and self- pride, teamwork, self worth and life skills. Ultimately, the aim is to develop students’ career aspirations via an appreciation of the commitment needed to create a successful production.
A Wakakirri Story Dance is a 3-7 minute performance by a group of students who theatrically tell a story using a combination of dancing, creative movement and acting to pre-recorded music. Schools can tell any story and use any combination of dance, creative movement, acting, music, live singing, props, costumes, sets and film projections. The possibilities are endless! Incorporate the annual signature item into the story for an extra challenge.
Performing in Wakakirri is an experience students never forget. Schools spend Show Day rehearsing and meeting other schools and that same night walk the Red Carpet with the Panel Reps and perform live on stage. Every school’s Story is filmed for Wakakirri TV as part of the Search for ‘Story of the Year’.
The Wakakirri Secondary School Challenge is an opportunity for students to explore career pathways in performing and creative arts, design, and event management. Secondary students participating in Wakakirri can also earn a Certificate 2 in dance. At the beginning of the rehearsal process, representatives from every participating school attend ‘Careers Day’ workshops (Note: currently Careers Day is run in Victoria only) run by industry professionals where students learn what it takes to produce a Professional Event. Ongoing consultation is available via the Wakakirri Mentor program.
The Wakakirri Secondary School Challenge has Award Categories from Art-House through to blockbuster productions making it possible for every school to enter. There are also loads of prizes and different category awards (e.g. Best Makeup, Best Costume Design etc.) for individual students to win for their résumé.
Wakakirri encourages schools to minimise their footprint when creating props and costumes for their performance and offers special Awards for schools that excel in this area.
