"I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across this empty space whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre to be engaged." This famous quote from Peter Brook reminds us that theatre can spring to life in the simplest of places. However, with the beautiful, spacious, and adaptable new Drama and Dance studios in the Junior Arts Centre, our students now have far more than just a bare stage - they have inspiring spaces designed to spark imagination, encourage collaboration, and elevate every performance. Here, the daily magic of creativity feels not only possible, but inevitable.

This Spotlight Week has been a true celebration of these new facilities. Thanks to the generous support of the Tanglin Trust School Foundation, every Junior School student had the opportunity to take part in a workshop or performance led by inspiring visiting artists. Just as we encourage our students to perform, we also want them to experience professional work-learning to appreciate different styles, voices and artistic journeys.

The week opened with the return of Epic Arts Dance Company from Cambodia, performing their moving contemporary piece Buffalo Boy to Year 5. This powerful story, exploring disability and resilience, sparked thoughtful and empathetic questions from our students. A small group then spent the following day creating original dance responses to the piece, which they shared with a delighted audience.

Our Year 3 students enjoyed the infectious energy of Evolve Arts, a local theatre school, which designed a clown show and workshop especially for them. From clown cars to silly scenes, the children’s joy was impossible to miss—and perfectly primed them for their upcoming Drama unit on clowning.

Meanwhile, Year 6 students immersed themselves in the razzle-dazzle of Musical Theatre with All That Jazz, one of Singapore’s leading Dance academies. They learnt choreography from Wicked, performing it with expression, pizazz and plenty of fun.

We closed the week with the magic of Mascots & Puppets, who returned with a mesmerising puppet show. Students marvelled at the artistry of different puppetry styles before trying their own hand at working with the creations.

It wasn’t only the children who experienced the magic of drama in the JAC. Together with Ms Gilroy, I was delighted to host a workshop for Junior parents, providing them with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of drama.

From dance to drama, clowns to puppets, the week was packed with creativity, laughter and inspiration. The Junior Arts Centre has already proved to be more than just a building—it is a place where imagination thrives, passions are discovered, and the joy of the performing arts resonates across the whole school. Click here to view photos from the Dance & Drama Spotlight week.