Visual and Performing Arts
Whatever the art form, students drive the creative process.
Dance
Dance is for everyone! Whether you are a beginner or an experienced student, you can express yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, and creatively in our contemporary dance program. Through dance, you will develop artistry and technical skill in a variety of styles. You will work with guest choreographers and learn to understand, create, and communicate dance through process, composition, and performance.
Our Dance Performance Ensemble represents Branson at off-campus festivals, concerts, and basketball games. All dance levels perform annually in our winter concert and our spring showcase, the Festival of Arts at Branson (FAB).
Visual Arts
Realize your visions your way. Explore. Practice. Create. Each art class invites you to deepen your individual voice as a visual artist. Beginning with Survey of Visual Arts, you have ample opportunity to work with a hammer, paintbrush, and camera. At the intermediate level, you strengthen your craft in a specific medium: photography, sculpture, or painting and drawing. The upper levels provide you with a collaborative studio environment to expand your definition of art-making and foster creative self-confidence. You will work with visiting artists, experience the art world at galleries and museums, and show your work in many venues.
Alex Escalante Dance Faculty
Eric Oldmixon, Allyson Seal, and Noelle Anderson Visual Arts Faculty
Music
Brown and Kindra Scharich Music Faculty
Branson’s vibrant music program offers many ways to explore and learn in a variety of styles and settings. Whether you want to play jazz, rock, or classical chamber music, or if you’re a singer who likes pop, a cappella, musicals, or madrigals, Branson has a place for you! We challenge our students to become confident performers, strong collaborators, and to learn the language and cultural importance of music. You’ll be able to showcase your talent at our Winter Arts Festival and Concert, the annual Rock Show and Jazz Concert, and in the pit orchestra for our annual musical. We inspire a rich, life-long appreciation for music and also provide the necessary training and experience for those who will go on to conservatories and music schools.
Theater
Maura Vaughn and Lucas Mobley Theater Faculty
Dive into a conservatory-style, four-year theater program designed to help you develop into a skilled performer with a standard of excellence, artistic integrity, and something unique to say. Gain confidence and develop communication skills while building deep friendships and having a great deal of fun. We give you a battery of skills and techniques that allow you to discover your own approach to the craft of acting and to become a leader in your chosen profession.
Theater gives you the opportunity to navigate through diverse societies, to articulate your experiences, and to become an expert collaborator. Join us to find your voice and create innovative productions, from improvisation to Shakespeare, from modern classics to collaboratively written original pieces.
Technical Theater Program
DiAnn Montemayor Technical Theater Director
Want to have a vital role in all the school’s productions? Become part of the Technical Theater Program! This program is designed to give you a hands-on experience creating and running shows in a variety of genres: drama, music, dance, and presentations. All performances are student run and fun–meaning you manage the lights, microphones, and build and move the sets. You will work with a full-time faculty Technical Theater Director to help guide you through the process. The Technical Theater Program is an intricate part of all the shows at Branson. Coolest of all, technical theater combines applied physics and math with magic!
Featured artwork by Anna Han ’24, Hayley Yoslov ’23, and Camille Alexander ’18
Jaimeo
COURSES OFFERED
DANCE
Dance I, II, III, IV (co-ed)
Dance for Men I, II, III, IV
Dance Performance Ensemble Honors (co-ed)
I NSTRUMENTAL AND CHORAL MUSIC
Music I: Roots of Americana
Music I & II: For the Love of Singing
Music II: Ensemble Workshop
Digital Music and Composition I, II, III
Performance Seminar: Singing Honors
Music Performance Ensemble Honors: Chamber Music
Music Performance Ensemble Honors: Jazz
Music Performance Ensemble Honors: Rock
THEATER
Beginning Acting: Improvisation
Intermediate Acting: Technique
Advanced Acting: Rehearsal
Acting Performance Honors
VISUAL ARTS
Survey of Visual Arts
Intermediate Drawing & Painting
Intermediate Photography
Intermediate Sculpture
Advanced Visual Arts Honors: SuperNatural
Advanced Visual Arts Honors: Machine of the Art World
Advanced Visual Arts Honors: Messaging the Masses
Advanced Visual Arts Honors:
Abstract Vision, Symbolic Expression
Portfolio Review/Portfolio Review Honors
INTERDISCIPLINARY & EXTENDED ARTS OFFERINGS
Collab Lab
Improvisation as a Life Skill
Stagecraft Musical
For more information, contact the Arts Department Chair eric—oldmixon@branson.org
branson.org/arts