Fling alumni and creative professionals from across the country ventured to Bega to teach the students a broad range of skills from site specific dance to puppetry and hula hooping. 

Despite the oppressive heat inside the tinned-roofed stadium, the enthusiasm of the students – aged eight to 18 – never wavered. 

“It was wonderful hearing children laughing and enjoying themselves in such hot weather,” Fling Physical Theatre artistic director Lee Pemberton said. 

“There was fantastic creativity where each tutor offered a completely different discipline, yet all had a corporeal emphasis.

“The children took risks and explored new ideas and many younger ones came out of their shells.”

Former Flinger Sebastian Rideaux returned to summer school to teach circus skills, tumbling and acrobatics. 

Plans for site specific dance teacher Alison Plevey to use outside spaces were shelved because of the blistering heat, but plenty of interesting pieces were created in spaces inside the stadium. 

Krista Dodsworth from Eden taught hula hoop skills and Gemma Lark helped the students explore movement through puppetry.

"I was impressed by the way they were dealing with the heat but fantastic fearless approach and exploration of an unknown medium,” Ms Lark said. 

At the conclusion of the three-day program on Thursday, the students broke into groups to give a brief performance for parents which showed off an impressive array of new skills. 

Fling Physical Theatre has a huge range of community classes and performances planned for 2014.

Recreational classes in contemporary dance, gym for dancers and classical ballet are offered for children in Bega, Tathra and Pambula, and special boys’ only classes and adult classes will also be available at various venues. 

The company will be taking registrations for new classes at Tathra Hall on January 31 from 5-6pm and Bega Indoor Stadium on February 1 from 10am until 2pm. 

For more information email admin@flingphysicaltheatre.com.au, call 6492 0222 or visit the company’s Facebook page.