Recap of Choose Your Own Adventure Tour

We had a wonderful time bringing DSO’s Education show Choose Your Own Adventure show to schools across the Barkly region.

The touring week began with an early airport start; thanks to our travel partners Airnorth we were able to load all our instruments and gear onto the flight. Flying low across the Territory gave us a beautiful view of the country below, and we noticed how green everything looked after a huge wet season. Landing in Warumungu Country/Tennant Creek we got checked in to our accommodation and went over to Barkly Regional Arts for a meeting with Rosemary Plummer, Connected Beginnings and Tennant Creek Primary School. It was great to hear Melanie and Rosemary talk about ways to engage the students through poetry and language. We were also very grateful to Barkly Regional Arts for providing us with additional equipment and a rehearsal space where we could run through the show. Just as we were about to leave, we ran into a classic Territory challenge of a flat tyre. How many musicians does it take to change a tyre? We called in the experts, a big shout out to Reggie from Thrifty in Tennant Creek for getting us sorted and ready for the drives ahead.

Day two
We set off early up the Stuart Highway to Mudburra Country. We arrived at Elliott School as the students were finishing their break. It was great to meet them and have a chat before Principal Kevin helped us get organised on the outdoor basketball court for our first performance. The students were so enthusiastic and engaged through the show, and then for our final movement ‘Under the Stars’ many quietly lay on their backs and listened to the soft music wash over them. After the show we organised for the students to move around the group to get a closer look and have a try-out of some of our instruments. There were so many talented young students, and it was great to see their enthusiasm for music-making. After a quick lunch we jumped back into the cars and headed back down to Tennant Creek.

Day three
After checking out of our accommodation and a quick game of Tetris to pack instruments and people into cars, we headed over to Barkly Arts. There we packed the trailer and met up with Reggie and Josh, who were leading the way out to our next school in Wutunugurra/Epenarra. Luckily the road had just re-opened, and we had a beautiful drive across stunning country with the Iytwelepenty Ranges in the distance. We arrived in Wutunugurra/Epenarra in time to quickly check into our accommodation, grab some lunch, and then we headed straight down to the school to meet Principal Jen to set up for an afternoon show. Turning the basketball court into a stage, we had a lively audience of excited students, teachers, and six or seven very musical dogs who didn’t want to miss out on the action. It was wonderful to see the curiosity and excited reactions from the students as they tried out our instruments, and their sense of empowerment was clear as they realised they were responsible for creating sound themselves.

Day Four
Another early start, this time to ensure we arrived in time for Canteen Creek School’s ‘bus’ walk. As requested by Canteen Creek Principal Natalie we followed with our instruments as she led us around the community to encourage the students to come and join us at school. Once at school we started with an instrument making workshop, making Mud Crab Castanets and Bush Chook Ciuca Cups. Then after an instrument try out session and a quick meal break, we launched into the show where once again it was great to hear the enthusiastic decision-making coming from our young audience as they helped us decide which way the story should unfold. After the show we jumped straight back in the cars to make our way back to Tennant Creek.

Day Five
Our last show of the tour was at Tennant Creek Primary School. Thanks to the wonderful support from the school staff Kate, Rowan and Katerina, Connected Beginnings, and Eric from Barkly Arts, we set up for a poetry workshop led by our poet and narrator Melanie Munnunggurr. The students listened to Melanie perform one of her poems and then, in groups with some support from DSO helpers, Melanie guided them through a workshop using their five senses, as well as rhyme and repetition, to write and perform their own animal poem. After the break we welcomed the rest of the school into the hall for our final Choose Your Own Adventure performance. The students responded enthusiastically to the show, guiding the story and participating in the actions, some even couldn’t resist the opportunity to join in a mud crab dance-off.

After the performance and a short break for lunch, we returned to the airport to board our Airnorth flight back to Darwin. As we loaded our instruments and equipment, the red dust still clinging stubbornly to their surfaces felt symbolic, a lasting reminder of the connections we made with schools across the Barkly, and of the memories that will stay with us for a long time.