Senior Stars from Haileybury Rendell School headlined four nights of 10-minute DJ sets inside a converted shipping container at the Darwin Festival in August.
10 Minute Dance Parties was a dynamic collaboration with local DJ, Kuya James Mangohig, Darwin Festival, CSC Clontarf members, and our wonderful corporate partner, Landbridge.
Before the event, the girls participated in a series of workshops to equip them with DJ skills. They created their own ‘crates’ (DJ playlists) to cater for a diverse audience, and mastered control of the DJ deck.
They also learned tech operation and how to control the strobe lighting, lasers, and haze machine for each mini-disco experience.
Overall, our Haileybury Stars were the official DJs for over 30 dance parties enjoyed by festival goers!
Year 11 Stars student, Babylon Williams, said it was great to gain some DJ skills, which were very relevant to her growing interest in a music career.
“DJ-ing built up my courage. I got to meet a lot of new people. I was nervous, but it was cool to see adults and kids dancing to our music and having fun,” she said.
Stars Mentor, Leicolhn McKellar, said the 10-Minute Dance Parties were a fantastic opportunity for students to engage in an exciting and vibrant artistic environment.
“The activity itself was dynamic and engaging, as music is a constant for our girls, and the ability to be responsible for the delivery of a safe party space left the girls feeling elated.
“Their confidence skyrocketed over the four days of performances, and they couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces!
Stars staff will be researching potential career pathways for one participant in particular, who has expressed a keen interest in further DJ mentoring thanks to her experience with 10 Minute Dance Parties.
