Students from Finley and Deniliquin High Schools rehearsing for Pulse.
After successful launches and sold-out performances in Broken Hill, Mildura and Moree in 2023 and 2024, the Department of Education Arts showcase, Pulse Far West, has been a hit in Deniliquin.
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Almost 700 students, from Kindergarten to Year 12, participated in two days of workshop experiences on Tuesday and Wednesday, in the creative arts, dance, music and drama.
The event concluded with two performances at Deniliquin Town Hall last night, after the Pastoral Times went to print, to showcase the artistic creations to come out of the workshops.
Pulse Deniliquin was created to support the delivery of increased high-quality arts resources, workshops and performance opportunities to public school students across far west NSW.
Students from 13 public primary and secondary schools from across the region participated in this inaugural year.
Department of Arts coordination officer Peter Hayward said Pulse is about giving each student in every public school the opportunity to participate.
“Arts initiatives such as Pulse Deniliquin are essential for rural and remote students who, due to distance, don’t always have the same access as metropolitan students to performing art experiences,” he said.
“It’s exciting to have 13 schools participating in this inaugural year with more than 250 Kindy to Year 2 students, 300 Years 3 to 6 students and 130 secondary students participating.”
Students from public schools across NSW make up the vocal team, show band and dance ensemble that lead the Pulse Alive tour through the Far West circuit.
“Each year kicks off with Pulse Alive, a large-scale performance event in Sydney that features thousands of students from public schools across the state and now continues with Pulse Far West which encompasses visits to Mildura, Broken Hill, Moree and now Deniliquin,” Mr Hayward said.
Deniliquin High School head of creative arts Matt Kiley said it is important to give regional and rural kids the same opportunities as those in the cities.
“Pulse has been a great event for our kids to be a part of a larger scale performance, working with tutors and performers from Sydney and other areas outside our region, has been awesome for them, and they're having a great time,” Mr Kiley said.
“It is really hard for us regional and remote communities to get to the bigger events in Sydney because it is such a costly exercise.
“So to have the talent from the city come out and work with our regional kids has been sensational.”
And the students definitely enjoyed themselves.
One Deniliquin High School student, Eliza Johnston, said she has thoroughly enjoyed the event.
“It’s fantastic. Living in Deni I haven’t had the chance to dance like this for a while.
“So it’s awesome in that aspect, and then having help from Jordy (the choreographer) really lets you feel like you’re learning.”
• More on Pulse Deniliquin will be included in Tuesday’s edition.
Students from Finley, Barham and Deniliquin learning choreography with Jordy Russo.