Musical Theater Arts

Overview

The theater and dance offerings in the First Program emphasize personal expression while providing students opportunities to see their other curricular subjects through an arts lens. While exploring the use of their bodies in various projects, the students practice important skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Collaboration, flexibility, cooperation, thinking outside the box, and risk-taking are encouraged.

First Grade

In first grade, students use the tenets of creative movement to build imagination and develop gross motor skills. Stories, artwork, historical figures, scientific processes, and much more are reimagined and processed through dance motifs. In addition, there is an emphasis on thoughtful reflection, critical response, and becoming engaged and respectful audience members.

Second Grade

The second grade program focuses on collaborative storytelling using dance and theatre techniques. Students choreograph dance, dramatize poetry and artwork, and explore various forms of puppetry. These cooperative projects encourage the development of a growth mindset and social-emotional skills In connection to the social studies and literacy curricula studying New York City, a culminating musical dramatizing a piece of children’s literature is rehearsed and performed.

Third Grade

Acting is the focus of the third grade dance-theatre curriculum Foundational improv skills and rules are the guideposts for acting exercises throughout the course From character development and expression to performing Shakespeare and devising original work, students engaged in various theatrical creative processes and built self-confidence.