The experience was courtesy of HPAC patron Mark Hardy, with the students chosen by their teachers for their strong work ethic and accompanied to Sydney by their mothers.

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Iris Greenwood, ten, and Eddie Sutton, nine, both attended the Australian Ballet’s double bill “Études / Circle Electric”.

It was their first visit to the Sydney Opera House.

“In Circle Electric, I liked how they used their bodies… to make different shapes and formations to introduce the story to the audience,” said Iris.

“At some [times] during the performance there were more than 40 dancers all on stage, which was spectacular for me to see.

“It was one of the most memorable performances I’ve ever seen.”

Eddie said the dancers had “very sharp movements and very good faces”.

“It was very different to the contemporary [dance] that I do at HPAC but I really liked that they had moments of stillness and they were all in time.”

The second part of the performance was the classical ballet, Études.

“At the beginning they were on barres and they had lights showing their feet,” said Eddie.

“They were all in time, and it was amazing.

“The Opera House was so cool, it was so big.”

Delilah Uzzell, twelve, saw “& Juliet” at the Lyric Theatre and took the opportunity to spend a few days in Sydney.

“We saw the Vivid lights, the Delilah show and I even took part in a two-day dance workshop at the Sydney Dance Company.

“& Juliet is definitely my new favourite musical.

“The performers… really showed the audience how they were feeling throughout each scene.”

Sienna O’Brien, fourteen, attended the Australian Ballet Company’s performance of the classic, Carmen.

It was also her first visit to the Opera House.

“The costumes were out of this world,” she said.

“It made you feel you were actually watching them when the ballet was performed all those years ago.

“I could not take my eyes off the dancers and the scenery on stage.”

Angela Tobins, sixteen, went to see the musical Chicago at the Capitol Theatre.

“The whole cast was fantastic,” she said.

“From the opening act of ‘All that Jazz’ the dancers wowed, each showcasing their personality and style [and] executing their moves with precision and flare.

“The band was placed in full view on the stage rather than hidden in a pit… and [were] an integral part of the entertainment as musicians [were] in the Big Band era.”

By Andrea FERRARI