Over 250 students from Alice Springs have been putting the final touches on their performances ahead of Alice Can Dance this Friday night.

The event, now in its fifth year, includes a range of dance performances from government school students from across the Alice Springs region, including for the first time, Ntaria School.

The theme of this year’s Alice Can Dance is ‘The tales we tell’ which celebrates the role of fiction and storytelling in our lives, and how storytelling is important to our identities and the world.

Principal of Sadadeen Primary School Liz Verstappen said that Alice Can Dance is a much anticipated event in the school’s calendar.

“Alice can Dance is a celebration of young people from all walks of life, dancing on stage together, sharing the triumphs and tribulations of being a kid and living in the desert,” she said.

“This is a very positive project for all involved; teachers, students, schools, the wider community and dance in Alice Springs.

“Alice can Dance encourages collaborative practice, engagement and building student confidence and self-esteem. It is uplifting and inspires much creative thinking.

“It has also built links across schools and school communities and gives students the opportunity to showcase their talents and perform to an audience – a great deal of pride and sense of achievement is felt by all involved.”

Artistic Director of 2NDTOE Frankie Snowdon said it is the only program of its kind in Australia with a crew of artists and choreographers working with students for the past seven weeks to prepare for the event.

“Alice Can Dance is a collaborative event; it allows children to to feel empowered, it gives them an outlet to express their creativity and feel connected to the arts. It allows them to feel proud of themselves,” she said.

“It is fantastic to see the kids so excited for the show on Friday – they have all been working hard over the past seven weeks and the event is a great opportunity for their family and community to see what they’ve been up to.

“Alice Can Dance is about bringing a creative opportunity to kids from regional areas and encouraging creative practice within a school context– every child needs the opportunity to be creative, no matter where you are based in Australia.”

Alice can Dance will be held on Friday 29 September. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au/whats-on/alice-can-dance-2017-tales-we-tell

Media – for further information contact Joss Wyer 0401 119 215