A "mad honour" - that's how Dubbo College student Jobie Castledine has described being selected for a position in a prestigious dance company.
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Jobie and Khynan Roworth have been selected for the NSW Public School's Aboriginal Dance Company.
The company is a partnership between the NSW Department of Education Arts Unit and the world-renowned Australian dance company Bangarra Dance Theatre. It enables students to work with leading dancers and choreographers to recreate works from Bangarra Dance Theatre's repertoire.
To be selected, Jobie and Khynan had to learn a Bangara dance and video themselves performing it.
They also created a one-minute Viva Voce - or short speech - introducing themselves, their school, their mob, their dance experience, why they would like to be part of the Aboriginal Dance Company and what they hope to do in the future.
![Dubbo College student Jobie Castledine and Khynan Roworth have been selected for the NSW Public School's Aboriginal Dance Company. Pictures supplied. Dubbo College student Jobie Castledine and Khynan Roworth have been selected for the NSW Public School's Aboriginal Dance Company. Pictures supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/szmxUse7pKRunEdvcxFUnw/30116c65-06d3-4428-9208-bd636466617f.jpg/r0_0_1920_1079_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Khynan, who's in year 10, said he was quite nervous during the workshops.
They told us there were heaps of people trying out, so I knew that there would be limited places available," he said.
"I put a lot of effort into my audition video, I was painted up and performed outside and hoped this would give me an edge. When I found out I had been selected I felt relieved."
This is the second year both students have been selected for the company.
Jobie said it was really good to know he had been selected again and he was looking forward to the "electric atmosphere" of performing at the Schools Spectacular.
"Performing at 'Spec' was one of my favourite things last year," the year eight student said.
"Representing my culture through song and dance is just amazing, there is nothing like it."
Jobie and Khynan have a very strong connection with their culture and community, and they have emphasized the importance of this opportunity and what it means to them.
Khynan is looking forward to learning new dances, connecting further with his culture, and making new friends.
"I feel like I connect on a deeper level here and that gives me a strong feeling of belonging," he said.
The pair will travel to Sydney later this month to start the first of five company rehearsals. They will be performing at the State Dance Festival at the Seymour Centre on September 15 and the Schools Spectacular on November 24 and 25.
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