Scotch College

Helping to change dance stereotypes

A new dance culture is quietly simmering away at Scotch.

Words: Joshua Li – Year 12

For the past two years, Scotch has been home to some of Melbourne’s up-and-coming hip-hop dancers, particularly in the reinvented and reinvigorated break-dancing genre. These boys have quietly dedicated their lunchtimes to dance training, juggling dance with study and other school commitments, and have become a force to be reckoned with in the inter-school dance scene.

Last year, two Scotch boys defeated six other pairs in an ‘interschool b-boy competition’ hosted by Melbourne High School, and the entire Scotch College dance crew were worthy runners-up in another inter-school dance competition. In the year before that, one of the boys single-handedly beat 12 other contestants in the Melbourne High competition to finish as runner-up, before going on to become one of the top 16 junior break-dancers in Japan.

As well as proudly representing the school that has given them so many opportunities, the boys aim to give a little back to Scotch, as well as to the broader community. Last year, they raised nearly $300 in a fundraising showcase donated to recovery work after the devastating earthquakes in China. They also performed at various school functions, including the Year 12 farewell concert.

This year they are scheduled to perform for the Year 7s, Year 8s and the Junior School. Their mission is not only to promote what they are passionate about, but also to eliminate the gangland stereotypes sometimes held about hip-hop dancing.

Currently, Scotch has three official members of the local dance crew ‘Project R’, which incorporates some of the most skilled dancers from neighbouring schools, including MLC, PLC and Lauriston Girls’ School. ‘Project R’ members also include a one-time teacher of a competitor in the famed reality show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, and close friends of competitors as well as the show’s choreographers.

On 24 June the School will host a friendly dance competition with Lauriston Girls’ School, aiming to raise funds for bushfire relief. The Scotch College Dance Crew extends a cordial invitation to all Scotch students and parents to come along and support the cause. This would be a prime opportunity for the school to not only retain its old values, but also to embrace the new. GS