List of 2 items.

• Middle School Performing Arts: >>

  All Grade 4 and 5 students are introduced to various theater games and improvisational exercises to improve concentration, confidence and community. Throughout the course, students develop their imaginations and learn how to make specific choices when playing a character. This work builds confidence in communication skills and prepares students for future dramatic productions at Derby.

• Upper School Performing Arts >>

  Drama and “Devised” work

  Using “devised theatre,” students create their own script from prose or poetry. They learn to incorporate music and movement to establish mood or setting. Through doing so, actors discover how to work well as a group, negotiate time constraints, and effectively present somebody else’s words with imagination. Students develop heightened emotional agility and explore tools to effectively execute a monologue or scene.

  
  

  Dance

  Through movement, students explore various dance forms and play an integral role in picking music and choreography. Although technique is encouraged throughout, our primary goal is to engage storytelling through movement. Through dance, students deepen their understanding of music, lyric, and character in a mainstage production or class. Guest artists are invited to teach a masterclass or choreograph the mainstage musical.

  
  

  Mainstage Musical

  Derby’s musical productions introduce students to various composers, librettists, and choreographers. Actors learn the importance of camaraderie, hard work, and focus. They are also encouraged to practice proper vocal technique while delivering text or music, while understanding certain nuances or traits that make a character believable to watch. Costumes and set are introduced to deepen our understanding of the story and the actor’s work.