Dance students Jess Minas and Amelia Watson are having a dream start to their careers, scoring roles in the new Australian family theatre production, Bluey’s Big Play – The Stage Show.

Upon completing their Bachelor of Creative Arts – Dance, a dual award offered by Flinders University and TAFE SA , the duo will step straight into Bluey’s Big Play rehearsals the following week.

Bluey’s Big Play – The Stage Show is being presented by BBC Studios (New South Wales) and HVK Productions (Victoria) in association with Windmill Theatre Company (South Australia) and Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

The stage production is being directed by Windmill’s Artistic Director, Rosemary Myers, who hand-picked the two dancers after watching them in rehearsals at the Adelaide College of the Arts (AC Arts).

Rosemary Myers says the two dancers will be an asset to the production because of their strength, agility and technical abilities.

“This show features quite large puppets that need to move in particular ways and dancers have well-honed skills in technical movement as well as the agility and physical strength required to lift and manage the puppets throughout a busy performance schedule,” she says.

Jess and Amelia say they’re excited and appreciative of the opportunity to appear in the new stage production, which will have one of the most extensive tours of a children’s show ever undertaken in Australia.

“I’ve always dreamt of performing in a professional environment and touring with a company but due to COVID I didn’t think that was going to be possible,” Jess says.

Amelia says, “It’s really exciting to be a part of a children’s theatre production, it’s cool. I’m looking forward to meeting new people and experiencing a tour.”

Bluey’s Big Play is based on the incredibly popular children’s animated series Bluey, about a blue heeler pup and her family, which is the all-time number one program on ABC iview.

Amelia says they feel well prepared to take on the challenge of learning puppetry skills.

“Puppeteering is a whole new skillset, but our course has covered so many different techniques and types of dance and also acting and dramaturgy, so we’re open to learning new things,” she says.

“We train in a whole range of styles from contemporary dance to ballet,” adds Jess, “as well as yoga, music and acting which all contribute to our development as a dancer. It’s made me a versatile performer.”

Jess and Amelia say the Bachelor of Creative Arts – Dance has provided them with performance opportunities including creating work for Adelaide Fringe and helped them make valuable industry connections.

“I’ve also learnt a lot about myself and how I feel about the world and the type of work I want to create. The thought process is really important and that’s something our lecturers have impressed upon us; it’s not just about the steps,” Amelia says.

Bluey’s Big Play – The Stage Show will tour nationally throughout 2020 and 2021.