Birds with a beat
The Australian Museum's dance video competition, Birds with a Beat, was a great success. Image: Stuart Humphreys
© Australian Museum

The Australian Museum's dance video competition, Birds with a Beat, was a great success.

The competition, inspired by the current exhibition, Rituals of Seduction: birds of paradise, asked students aged 5-18 years to prepare a dance and make a video of their performance.

Selected entrants were invited to perform live at the finale of the annual Fashion Less Waste competition, where the theme was also birds of paradise.

The three selected groups were from Freeman Catholic College, Bonnyrigg Heights and St Andrews Cathedral School, Sydney. There was a wonderful variety of dances performed, including an interpretive pas de deux by Izabella and Jessie; a hip hop routine by Melvin, Matthew and France, and a contemporary dance solo by Lidia.

The audience very much appreciated this new addition to our annual event. People commented on the stunning costumes, fantastic dances and the students' interpretation of the rituals of birds of paradise.