Rock Challenge 2018

6th February 2018J Godbolt

On Tuesday 30th January, students from Oathall took part in the 2018 Rock Challenge Competition. Although we weren’t placed this year, the achievement from each and every student was outstanding. This was the culmination of 7 months hard work and dedication from the performers, stage crew and lighting team.

Our performance this year was titled ‘Is it in my head’. This was a contemporary piece looking at aspects on mental health. The concept was based on the on the quote;

‘We are so accepting of any body part breaking down, other than our brains. That is ignorance, pure ignorance. That world has created a world that doesn’t understand depression, that doesn’t understand mental health’.

The Rock Challenge was established in order to combine the benefits of taking part in a large scale dance production with involvement in a positive ‘drug free’ activity. I am proud that at Oathall the Rock Challenge brings students of all ages, backgrounds and gender together in order to work collaboratively on a brilliant production. The students take charge not only of choreography but costumes, sound, lighting, scenery and video direction.

The actual Rock Challenge day is a blur of pre performance nerves and energetic preparation. The students are able to watch other schools rehearse as well as take part in mass warm up, dance sessions and competitions. Each school gives a performance of 8 minutes which seems to go by in a flash following all the hard work and anticipation. Our students all performed magnificently, every single one giving 100% effort. It is always a joy to see how the all students work together as a team, and really reflects the ‘community’ aspect of Oathall.

I would like to thank every student who took part in and contributed to this year’s production, you were all pleasure to work with. With special thanks to Kaytlin Smith and Florence Gaskell in year 11, their hard work and commitment did not go unnoticed. Thank you also to all the staff who gave their help to the running of the event.

Although Oathall did not win, yet again we swept the board gaining awards in the following;

• Award of Excellence in Lighting
• Award of Excellence for Concept
• Award of Excellence in Entertainment

Finally thank you to all the parents who kindly support dance at Oathall and help to encourage our students to achieve amazing things.

Rock Challenge 2017

16th February 2017J Godbolt

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On the 6th of February, 56 enthusiastic Oathall students took part in Rock Challenge at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley, where we competed against several other schools and colleges.

This year our dance was called ‘The Forest Is Our Home’ and was an environmental piece about deforestation. Our performance took the audience on a journey through the beautiful and captivating rainforest where indigenous people live in harmony with the forest until logging tradesmen threaten to destroy their homes for profit. The performance describes how the indigenous people fight against the logging industry to rebuild and regrow.

Our students have worked hard since last October to put together this 8-minute dance performance. The sound and light team supported the performers with the set, videoing the performance and creating effective and atmospheric lighting designs. They were able to learn from the professionals managing the desks. Throughout the day itself everyone had a fantastic experience and by the end of the evening, we had won awards for performance, entertainment and lighting.

Rebetiko Carnival

21st November 2016J Godbolt

Earlier this year, the Rebetiko Carnival, one of the most exciting and biggest music festivals in Europe landed on the shores of the UK. The infectious, uplifting traditional music of Greece and Asia minor resounded through the streets of cities of the UK from Brighton, Shrewsbury, Bristol and Manchester, with the heart of the festival in London before arriving at Oathall this November. This culminated in a wonderful workshop and concert bringing together incredible musicians, young and old, Oathall students, amateurs and professionals.

What is Rebetiko?

Rebetiko is the music of an urban sub culture of musicians called “rebetes”. Although they openly emerged in Greece in the 1920’s, rebetiko music is a rich synthesis of music from all over Greece that expresses the pain and suffering of the people at the time. In a heartfelt way of reflecting life, these songs can be full of humour and profound beauty. The instruments used vary depending on the style of song. Most common are the bouzouki, baglama, guitar, oud, violin, kanonaki, santouri, hand held percussion. The voice, of course is a very important aspect of this music and one must not forget the dance. The songs are based on the many different types of rhythms found throughout this part of the world and it spirit of dance drives every song.

BBC Ten Pieces

26th November 2015J Godbolt
Hannah Newson Xylophone Felix Carter Mrs Van Galen Rose Fredericks Trumpet

Rehearsing for the concert performance

Since last summer students at Oathall & pupils from 6 Mid-Sussex Primary schools have been feverishly practising and rehearsing in preparation to take part in the BBC Ten Pieces performance. Ten Pieces is an exciting initiative for schools, led by BBC Learning and the BBC Performing Groups that aims to open up the world of classical music to a generation of children and inspire them to develop their own creative responses to ten pieces of music. The project culminates today with a concert at the Kings Church in Burgess Hill.

Listen here to a BBC Sussex radio interview about the project.

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Oathall’s dancers have all the right moves

3rd March 2015J Godbolt

‘Hardship & Inequality’ was the theme for Oathall’s 2015 Rock Challenge performance and last night it proved to be a winner for the judges and audience alike. Oathall’s performance won six individual awards of excellence and we were placed third overall. This was a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.

Dancers in Year 11 getting into character before their performance

Dancers in Year 11 getting into character before their performance

For the last seven months, 80 performers and 12 make-up, lighting and stage assistants have planned, choreographed and practised for a one night only performance at The Hawth, in Crawley. For many of the students it was their first opportunity to perform in a professional theatre in front of a large audience and they did so with confidence and flair.

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Oathall nationally recognised for arts and cultural education

1st December 2014J Godbolt

Back row left to right: Mr Martijn Van Galen, Mr Edward Rodriguez, Mrs Amy Kingsford, Mrs Carol Mac Taggart, John Moore (art and music), Kelly Tingley (dance), Joe Willis (drama), Rhiannon Jones, (dance), Sophie Farrell (drama), Mina Mae Alexander (music), Nathanael Thomas-Atkins (music). Front row left to right: Mrs Carla Avery, Charlotte Weller (music and drama)

Artsmark Gold has been awarded to Oathall College for its commitment to, and excellence in, arts and cultural education.  Headteacher, Mr Edward Rodriguez presented the award to a group of students representing all of the arts disciplines at the last night of the college’s performance of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. (more…)

Oathall performers rise to the challenge

25th March 2014Oathall

A large contingent of Oathall students took part in the Rock Challenge dance competition in Crawley on Monday 24 March.Rock Challenge 2014

Following a full day of technical rehearsals the troupe took to the stage at The Hawth and dazzled the crowds with their original dance routine which drew inspiration from traditional fairy tales.

Cinderella made an appearance during the show – which was set against the backdrop of an enchanted forest – along with a coven of terrifying witches!

Over 90 dancers in total took part in the Oathall performance whilst several other students helped out behind the scenes with staging, lighting, hair and make-up.

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Dance Time – a celebration of dance

17th March 2014Oathall
Our dancers ahead of their performance

Our dancers ahead of their performance

On Friday 14 March a group from Oathall Community College took part in the West Sussex Dance Time festival.

The now annual event allows young people the opportunity to perform at professional theatres; over 1000 students from primary, secondary and special schools took part this year.

Oathall’s KS3 Contemporary Dance Club performed a moving piece at The Hawth in Crawley called ‘Safe and Sound’ which drew inspiration from a quote by Abraham Lincoln:

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”  

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