Hundreds of Canberra high school students are preparing to unleash their creativity on stage at the Ausdance ACT Youth Dance Festival next week.
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About 1200 students will take part in the 30th non-competitive festival, which will include 55 dance groups from 36 ACT high schools under the theme 'stories'.
One of the many high schools involved is Calwell High, which has produced two routines and included students from years 7 to 10 for the dance festival.
Year 10 student Tina Ha enjoyed having the opportunity to dance with friends and performing in front of crowds.
"I like to dance because it's my stress release and it's really fun to do because I'm dancing and socialising with my friends," she said.
Dance Fest allows students of all capabilities to use the program as a creative outlet.
Ausdance ACT with support from the ACT government will produce the 'Move Up' program for professional learning for teachers in high schools and colleges throughout the region.
Ausdance ACT director Neil Roach said the summer program would allow for professional dancers from all over the country to help instruct high school teachers and through them their students.
Roach believed the introduction of dance into the ACT school curriculum would allow students to release their creativity and help with their learning.
"I think we're really learning how important simple arts activities like dance are to peoples' lives and how it can help their learning right across the board in so many different areas because creativity can't be pigeonholed in one little box," he said.
The Move Up program will help complement future dance fests. The three-day dance festival will go from September 17-19 at the Canberra Theatre.