A bush dance in New Lambton may not be your everyday occurrence but it is something Julie Logan hopes to make a regular event on the community calendar.
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Ms Logan, a trained music teacher and founder of Julie Logan Music, conceptualised the Family Bush Dance as a way to engage the community and was overwhelmed by the response.
She said around 270 people of varying ages turned up on June 18 to take part at New Lambton Community Centre.
“It was fabulous, everyone had a great time,” Ms Logan said.
It was not your conventional bush dance. Ms Logan wanted to also include a multicultural element.
She invited Millabah Dance Troupe from Hunter School of Performing Arts to perform a traditional Welcome to Country.
The Bushfire Bush Band got the crowds dancing up a storm then onlookers were mesmerised by the performance of Chakra Indian dancers.
The event was something Ms Logan had been conceptualising for a while.
“A lot of traditional folk music is a stepping stone to understanding classical music in our music education program and we use it also for building coordination and motor skills in our kids,” Ms Logan said.
“Bush Dancing is not as popular these days and it is a fabulous part of our musical heritage and it brings every age together. This is my 15th year of my music school and I wanted to celebrate in a way that could bring every age together.
“It was a really nice community event and was such a lovely thing to do. It was such a great response from the community, I think it would be a nice thing to do regularly.”
The event was free but people were asked to make a donation towards the Smith Family Learning for life program and Ms Logan was pleased to raise $3160.
“The Smith Family Learning for Life program supports kids staying in school, getting homework done and making their way through education,” she said.
The multicultural bush dance received help from Newcastle City Council's annual grants and sponsorship program.
It was one of 11 projects awarded financial support under the first round of Newcastle City Council's Make Your Place grants for 2017.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the idea of the grants was to “create a better sense of place”.
One of the other grant winners was a seaside symphony by students from the Conservatorium of Music to be performed at a yet-to-be-decided coastal venue when the weather warms up.
Applications for the final round of Make Your Place grants for 2017 close August 21.