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Establishing a new SAPAC tradition, the senior students were tasked with coordinating the first year Performing Arts students in a production of the “First Year Concert”. The main objective of this production is to aid the bonding of all of the student body as well as establishing a benchmark of the abilities of the students (sometimes a nightmare to look back on in the years to come) while taking a tongue-in-cheek dig at the lecturers, staff and the theatre industry as a whole. As taxing as this process was for the junior students, the seniors were burdened with selecting material, casting, directing, scripting, choreography, wardrobe, makeup and all rehearsals (with NO budget) with only a few days notice while fitting in with the extraordinarily tight academic and practical schedule. In keeping with what is sure to come in the years ahead, rehearsals were long, late and often on weekends but this didn’t deter the students one iota. With the one off performance scheduled for the 21^st of February the students buckled down to their task in preparation for their SAPAC debut at the Oakfields College orientation day in front of the entire college. Nerves looked frayed as the final minutes ticked by but early signs of professionalism prevailed as the dancers sang, the MT’s danced and the seniors and staff egged them on to a completely unified performance by this pioneer group of students. Many an inside joke aligned with humorous jibes all incorporated into some classic musical numbers as varied as Oklahoma (I’m sure it’s spelled this way but the pronunciation eludes me!), Whipped into shape and Let your freak flag fly. The show was very well received and the Dance and Musical Theatre students established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.

Another tradition established by the seniors involved the first years choosing a ‘date’ for the “First Year Party” and the offering of gifts. This took place at Cheeky Monkey at Hatfield Square where each first year explained why they had selected their senior ‘date’ and the motivation behind their token gifts was. Many a sentimental speech was made and some very insightful gifts were exchanged over a few Cheeky Monkey Iced Teas.  

After the frivolity of Hatfield many students accepted the kind invitation of three of the senior students (Ashleigh Butcher, Samuel Hyde and Sean Louw) and joined them for Jello-Shots at their flat near the college. This proved as yet another example of how the senior students have welcomed the juniors into their midst and the exceptionally tight bond that has formed between all of the students in such a short period of time.

Jello-Shots preceded the “First Year Party” which was held at TY’s at Menlyn Square as arranged by class representative Jeandre Venter and his senior colleagues. TY’s went out of their way to accommodate the SAPAC students with a sectioned off VIP area. After just a few wardrobe mishaps that delayed the entrance of SOME of the students (Who knew that caps, sneakers and rolled up jeans were not acceptable attire for a night-club?) everyone got together for the final rite of passage for the first years – The Awards Ceremony. A variety of ‘Awards’ were offered to the first years ranging from “The worst rendition of a Dog Stretch” to “The Fierceness Award” accompanied by shooters and nicknames for all of the students. This ceremony finally welcomed the juniors into the SAPAC-ers family and recognised the first years as fully fledged members. Typically, the dance floor was completely taken over by the Performing Arts students who showed the other patrons their dance skills interspersed with the odd Body-Con ‘move’. The party continued into the wee hours of Saturday morning until each went their own way in preparation of the upcoming weeks of auditions, rehearsals and classes.