Cultivating creativity, confidence and character

How arts education at Porter’s supports students’ personal growth and sense of agency

Earlier this year, drama students at Miss Porter’s School wowed the crowd at the Gaines Dance Barn with their performance of “Proof,” playwright David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about family, sexism and mental health. Also noteworthy about the production was that the students were directly involved in every aspect of bringing it to life selecting the play, casting, choosing a performance venue, directing, acting, selecting props and costumes, and designing the set, sound and lighting, In just one trimester, they successfully brought the play from the page to the stage, fulfilling their artistic vision.

This intensive, hands-on drama lab was the focus of Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminar (AIS): Play Production, a course that immerses students in the diverse aspects of the art, craft and even business of theater. The students were also involved in applying for the rights to stage the play, setting and sticking to a budget, and creating and following the production schedule.

“The students have a real sense of ownership over bringing the play to life. They get to flex a variety of muscles as they learn about leadership, collaboration, communication, marketing and more, which helps them come into their own as people,” says course developer and instructor Alexandra “Sasha” London-Thompson, who is also Porter’s theater director.

The AIS drama course is one of five theater courses London-Thompson teaches, with the others focusing on acting, directing and technical skills for stage and film; theater in the age of social media and streaming services; and public speaking. Across all courses, she engages students in identifying and setting two or three personal goals to achieve as a way to support their personal growth.

“I don’t think I teach drama first and foremost, I teach confidence. My ultimate goal is for students to graduate from my classes with more confidence,” says London-Thompson, a faculty member at Porter’s since 2014 who graduated from the distinguished Shakespearean Studies master’s program taught by King’s College, London and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. “As the students develop confidence in themselves and their theater skills, it helps them explore who they are and who they want to be in the world once they leave Porter’s.”

Self-respect, along with creativity, resilience and problem-solving skills, are among the key qualities students develop through the robust arts education at Porter’s. School founder Sarah Porter embraced education in the arts right from the start. This tradition continues through to today, with Farmington’s art academics also encompassing dance, painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, digital art, art history, music, ceramics and photography. These subjects, along with various arts cocurricular activities that students can participate in, are all organized and delivered by accomplished artists. While the art forms vary, the overarching goal is to support students in developing their authentic creative selves an approach that helps foster their self-awareness and their personal agency to shape our changing world.

Promoting authentic self-expression through movement is the objective of Tessa Hailu.

A seasoned dancer, choreographer and teaching artist who is well versed in ballet, jazz and modern, Hailu has led dance education at Porter’s since 2017 and was recently appointed chair of the arts department. She brings significant experience to the role, including cofounding and codirecting her own professional dance company, teaching at several dance institutions including the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, and choreographing and performing internationally. Hailu also invites outside dance professionals to guest-teach ballroom, West African, Indian and traditional Chinese dance styles.

One way she has worked to make dance more accessible to students of all interests and skill levels is by creating the course Ballet for Athletes. Open to students in all grades, the course builds students’ strength, balance, coordination and stamina, which are all vital to success in athletics.

“Dance can feel intimidating for some, so I created this course at the intersection of dance and crosstraining as a way to reach a wider audience and show that anyone is capable of moving their body,” says Hailu, noting that the course’s popularity led her to introduce a level-two version.

Dance students at Porter’s practice and perform in the Gaines Dance Barn, a 3,500-square-foot room equipped with large windows that let in ample natural light, a wall of mirrors to support dance training, and a marley floor a durable vinyl surface that is slip-resistant and has cushioning properties. This is also where Hailu oversees the Dance Workshop, Porter’s audition-based dance group that trains every weekday afternoon and performs

Grier de Langley Torrence P’21, ’23 Visual Arts Director

in school shows and public events. She strives to strike the right balance between teaching students foundational dance moves and encouraging their personal exploration.

“The beauty of dance is that there is this wonderful structure, and when you get something right, it is really rewarding,” Hailu says. “At the same time, dance is such a personal experience … So I want them to learn how to tune in to their bodies and trust how they want to move.”

Porter’s students who are drawn to visual art have multiple options to learn the fundamentals of visual language and develop their original voice. Studio Art 1 builds awareness of form and content, personal imagery and identity, principles of design, and elements of drawing through collage, ink, charcoal and paint, while also touching on key art and artists throughout different cultures and civilizations. More advanced dimensions of visual art are explored in Studio Art 2 and 3, while in AIS Studio Art, students build a portfolio with a series of artworks following a single theme.

Visual arts at Porter’s is directed by Grier de Langley Torrence P’21, ’23, an accomplished and awardwinning professional artist whose paintings and drawings have been featured in multiple solo and group exhibitions. As well, Torrence was chair of the Arts Department from 2013 to 2025. He has much to share with his students about the history, forms and techniques of visual art. He engages students in discussions about foundational theories, primary methods and the accomplishments of prominent artists of the past and present.

However, Torrence understands that making art is an intrinsically personal act, and so strives to help students cultivate their own unique artistic expression.

“I try to help them be aware of themselves when creating art what their interests are, what their strengths are, what they want to explore about themselves,” says Torrence, who has been teaching at Porter’s since 1998 and is the longest-serving faculty member.

Torrence takes care to create a relaxed, welcoming vibe in the art studio. He regularly plays pop, folk or classical music, though students can listen to their own music.