Marist College Canberra is known for its sporting prowess, but it’s the culture of dance that is growing.

An increasing number of students at the all-boys’ school are taking up the extracurricular activity.

The school is taking part in this year’s Ausdance ACT Youth Dance Festival (YDF), which allows students to lead the way in choreographing their own work based on a theme.

One of the boys taking part is year 12 student Josh Galang.

He said it was inspiring that dance was something Marist students could do.

“I think it’s been a really great opportunity to expand the culture of Marist and to reduce the stigma from dancing,” Josh said.

“That dancing is not just a thing that girls can do, it’s a thing the guys can do and it’s cool as well.”

He said while the school was known for sport, it was important to show that it wasn’t “one-sided”.

Some of the co-curricular sports on offer to students are rugby, Australian Rules Football, basketball, hockey, mountain biking, cricket, soccer and sailing.

“Dance is equally as important as, say, rugby,” Josh said.

“And it’s really important that we support all of our students’ different endeavours.

“In the ways that, if they want to play a sport, they can do dance, they can do rugby and that it’s equally supported.”

The group’s teacher, Caitlin Schlig, said there were many benefits and outcomes for the students to take up dancing.

“Representation of young men in dance is steadily growing and we’re really enthusiastic about it,” she said.

“We’ve seen how powerful it is when male students step into this space with pride.

“At a school with a strong sporting identity, dance provides another outlet where students can channel that discipline, athleticism and performance skills.

“Many of the qualities that are celebrated in sports, such as teamwork, strength, coordination and perseverance, all translate seamlessly into dance.”

Ms Schlig said this dual emphasis allowed the students to thrive in both arenas.

“Breaking down stereotypes and highlighting the value of well-rounded personal development,” she said.

“Our headmaster often says: ‘he will measure a good boys’ school by their performing arts program’. Because he feels that if there’s a good performing arts program, it shows that they’re an all-boys school that wants inclusion.

“They are really genuinely looking to cater to the needs of every student who’s there.”

Youth Dance Festival

The theme for this year’s festival is Life on Mars.

Ms Schlig said the school’s routine was inspired by the television show KPop Demon Hunters, and boy bands of the nineties, with the song they’ve chosen being NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye. The song also featured in the 2024 Deadpool v Wolverine movie, which also serves as inspiration for the dance.

“So, their ideas of aliens that are actually a boy band have all come together through that kind of a lens,” she said.

Previous YDF participant and street dance teacher Jonah Lamond is one of the program’s mentors this year.

“Seeing it from this perspective, it’s very different from dancing in it,” he said.

“Dancing in it, it’s very tunnel vision. You’re only focusing on yourself.

“But when you’re in this position, you can see the next generation really moving up and it’s just really nice to see how supportive everyone is of it as well.

“We have this incredible program that’s giving students the capabilities to create, where when I was growing up there weren’t that many.

“If you went to a dance school, you couldn’t create because you were taught by a teacher.

“So, it’s nice to have space where you can learn and you can make mistakes so you can grow.”

YDF Program Manager Debora Di Centa said the program aimed to create an opportunity for the new generations to develop their own work in an inclusive environment that wasn’t competitive, whether that’s on the stage or behind the scenes through taking part in performances and backstage work experience programs.

Ausdance ACT’s Youth Dance Festival 2025 will run at the Canberra Theatre Centre on 28 and 29 October.

For tickets to this year’s Youth Dance Festival, visit Ausdance ACT 2025 Youth Dance Festival – Life on Mars | Canberra Theatre Centre