A larger than expected number of male students is among this year's intake to the Bachelor of Performing Arts degree at CQU Rockhampton.

BPA coordinator Dr Emma Killion said the eight new male students came from drama and dance backgrounds and were a welcome addition since most of the 58 students in the program were female.

Dr Killion said students were coming from as far as Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin (and in one case South Africa) and also from local community studio and competition channels to join the BPA.

Two students had also arrived in Rockhampton to 'top-up' their studies and complete their performing arts degree, thanks to a new arrangement with Wide Bay TAFE.

Among the first industry mentors to visit Rockhampton this year will be former Gracemere resident and now professional scriptwriter Angela Betzein, who will work with Brisbane-based director Leticia Caceres to help the students prepare for a middle school production on April 19. (Caceres is Associate Director with the Queensland Theatre Company and a freelance director who directed ‘Children of the Black Skirt’ for the Queensland Arts Council).

'Con Carnavale' will be a feature in the first half of the year, including a play for middle school ('Property of the Clan'); a dance/music production ('People are Strange Creatures') and a multi-skilled theatre production incorporating the second year students within the program.

The second half of the year will feature a major production staged by the BPA students in October and the return of experimental theatre at various sites around Rockhampton.

For details contact Emma Killion on e.killion@cqu.edu.au or 4930 6824.

Photo: BPA students at their first dance class for the year ... (from back left clockwise) Rhani Ashford, Victoire Faaleava, Dayna Fox, Leah Heuschele, Hamish Henderson, Robbie Cardnell and Alex Russell.