Dramatic high for pupils at Kinross
Group through to Scottish finals of Rock Challenge
Pupils at Kinross High School are celebrating after winning their heat in a worldwide drama competition.
The local youngsters won their heat of Rock Challenge UK at the Caird Hall, Dundee on Thursday, March 30, and will now proceed directly into the Scottish finals.
Kinross High School’s drama teacher Stacey McNab explained more about the competition.
She told the PA: “We won the heat so it means we qualified directly into the final on June 16 for the second year.
“Rock Challenge UK is a dancedrama competition, and the entire ethos encourages good choices for life and makes them think about the way they treat each other, to become wellrounded individuals.
“The night was absolutely amazing, they got such a good reaction from the other schools competing. There were two awards for the spirit of Rock Challenge voted for by the other teams competing for the friendliest and most welcoming team, and we were lucky to win both of those awards as well. When that happened the pupils got such a buzz and said we’ve done ourselves proud no matter what happens.
“There was a big group of parents and teachers in the audience so the entire audience leapt up together and everyone was hugging and screaming,
Pupils were the main drivers behind the production Kinross High School pupils performing at Rock Challenge UK
it was definitely such a happy moment.”
The group have been practising for Rock Challenge UK since October last year, creating the eight-minute performance from scratch, including the set design, costumes and music.
The piece was called ‘It’s Happening
Now’, which depicted the journey Syrian refugees have been undertaking.
The performance, which was directed and choreographed by the pupils themselves, ends with the Syrian refugees arriving at a migrant camp in Calais, France.
Ms McNab explained: “‘It’s Happening Now’ is told from a children’s point-of-view, from leaving their homes in Syria to go to the Calais camp. Everyone really took some inspiration from some charity films by Save the Children.
“The story begins with the Syrian citizens when the war breaks out, and it follows two families fleeing the country and follows their journey.
“The ending is inconclusive from the moment they arrive in Calais, because the issue is current with no certain ending.
“By doing this, the children hoped to raise awareness that this really is happening right now.”
Ms McNab hopes the topical story resonated with the ethos of Rock Challenge UK.
She added: “From a personal view from teaching it and really feeling it, the children portray such emotional scenes. It is really important because what the judges watched was a true story, so I hope the judges were able to connect with it.
“The team are definitely energised and confident in their piece, but they know the other schools who have gone through to the Scottish final are fantastic too so it is more belief in themselves and pride in the story they are telling. They are just really glad they get to perform it again.”