Delroy Campus students Timothy Boney-Stewart and Ngali Shaw and Senior Campus student Amberlilly Gordon were chosen from 1000 students across the state to join the company.

The trio will travel to Sydney on Sunday for a week of rehearsals with the world-renowned Bangarra Dance Theatre, ahead of the State Dance Festival from September 12 to 16.

Dubbo College Delroy Campus principal Debbie Head said she was proud of the students’ achievement.

“Being part of the dance company is a fantastic opportunity,” she said.

“I know they will represent Dubbo College and the Dubbo community in a most positive way.”

Amberlilly only began dancing in 2015 and has since collected a State Nanga Mai Award and a regional Wudhagaragarra Award for her skills.

She is a veteran of the Aboriginal Dance Company, having been involved for three of the past four years, but it’s a new challenge for Timothy and Ngali.

Ngali and Amberlilly both train with the Dubbo Ballet Studio and aspire to careers in dance, while Timothy has not danced before.

“I’m really excited and looking forward to getting to Sydney next week,” Timothy said.

“I haven’t danced before so it’s something completely new to me but I do have a first cousin who is currently attending NAISDA – the National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association Dance College – on the Central Coast.

“So I guess in a way I’m following his lead.”

Ngali began dancing in year seven after Delroy student learning support officer Doug Gordon – who will accompany the students to Sydney – introduced him to the school’s boys’ Yindyamarra dance group.

“Before I met Doug I hadn’t really been exposed to dance as an art form,” Ngali said.

“But right from the start with the Delroy Aboriginal dance group I felt really at home and had a sense that dance was a great means of self-expression.

“In fact I like dancing so much that at this stage I would like to aim for a career in dance after I finish school in a couple of years.”