Community
9 December, 2023
Deadly dancers big hit
AFL Cape York House dancers have lit up the stage at the Sydney Opera House, bringing home a silver and a top 10 finish at the national First Nations dance competition DanceRites.
After competing against 26 performance groups over two days, the AFL Cape York House Aboriginal dance team took second place overall while the Torres Strait Islander dance team placed in the top eight.
The competition served as the culmination of the 2023 AFL Cape York House cultural program, wherein students have the opportunity to explore and connect with their heritage through dance and other cultural experiences.
AFL Cape York House – For Girls boarding manager Sean Hunter said he was very proud to be welcoming the students and staff back from Sydney.
“The young people were extremely proud to be there, but also their families and communities over the last couple of days have just shown so much support and pride,” he said.
“This was the first competitive event our dancers have participated in and it was an opportunity for them to build on their confidence, engage in culture, and show off their cheeky character as they performed.
“We are so grateful to the AFL Cape York Foundation, JCU, and Cairns Airport for their sponsorship and support.”
Graduating student Yehusha Lifu said she was nervous at first but once she was on stage as part of the Aboriginal dance team, all she wanted was to perform well. “It feels unbelievable to have come second – it feels like anything is possible if you go out there and try your hardest,” she said.
Ms Lifu, who has set off to Weipa to begin her career in diesel fitting, felt this was a special way to round out her schooling and her time at AFL house. AFL Cape York House cultural support officer Bernard Singleton said the competition was an opportunity for the young people to go out with a bang at the end of the school year before many of them head home for the school holidays.
“DanceRites came right after the end of the footy season and right before they all start flying home to community, so a lot of moving parts were required to make this happen,” he said.
The teams received a guard of honour of over 50 AFL Cape York House members at Cairns Airport upon their return on November 27.
