And thanks to a new Waminda House program, the Benalla community can do just that.
It doesn’t matter if you have two left feet and a voice only autotune could fix, Waminda Voices & Dance is the place to make friends, get out your stress and cement a smile to your face.
Waminda House manager Leanne Bullard said there were two elements to the program, singing and dancing — and it is open to all people (aged 10-plus) and abilities.
“People can choose to join in both, or just come to one or the other,” she said.
The vocal side of the program will be run by Edwin Manono, who said singing had nothing to do with perceived ability.
“If you can talk, you can sing,” Edwin said.
“Getting everyone singing has a big unifying factor, it brings people together.
“It’s about working together and exploring some new techniques.
“Some people really want to sing, but haven’t identified what they’e good at.
“If we can identify that, they say, ‘I can do this’.”
And, of course, if you don’t want to sing the solo, you can join in singing with the whole group.
The dancing side of the program will be run by Mel Pentreath, who has been teaching performing arts in Benalla for many years.
“When it comes to dance, I think too much emphasis is put on you having to be a professional to start with, and that’s not the case,” she said.
“This is about having an experience and giving people the opportunities to build their own capacity and confidence.
“Similarly to Edwin saying if you can talk, you can sing. It’s about learning techniques and following them through.”
Leanne said she couldn’t wait to see multi-generational performances, with everyone having fun.
Mel agreed and said there might be scope for attendees to perform for Benalla.
“We’ve been discussing the options for a mid-year performance, and maybe a big, full-blown performance at the end of the year,” she said.
“That would be a great goal for us all to work towards.”
Waminda Voices & Dance will take place every Tuesday from February 4.
The singing will take place from 4.30pm to 5.15pm, with the dancing from 5.15pm to 6pm.
The cost is only $2 per session, and they take place at the Yooralla Community Hub, 50 Mansfield Rd, Benalla.
13°C