Arts
Performing Arts
Dance
Offerings range from classes for students new to the discipline to those for
seasoned dancers. Ballet,
jazz, contemporary—all class types and levels have the opportunity
to participate in or observe master classes by experts in the field and to
perform material in informal settings. Composition
and choreography classes cover exploration and improvisation, creative
problem solving, discussions, field trips, and more. Historical Overview of
Dance explores issues in present-day dance by looking at the past. The
Emma
Willard Dance Company targets the highly motivated and talented dance
student looking for additional performance experience; students rehearse in
a variety of dance styles, and perform in assemblies, the annual spring concert,
on tour, and in other special performance events.
Music
The Emma Willard Choir performs both secular and sacred music at various
concerts throughout the year, including Eventide in December, the Spring
Concert in May, and Baccalaureate. The Inner Choir is a select vocal ensemble
with members drawn from the Choir, and performs works appropriate for the
smaller choral ensemble. Courses designed for the musician and non-musician
alike look in-depth at some of the great classics, as well as the art and
composition of various musical styles. Orchestra and ensembles are open to
all instrumentalists, with specialized ensembles for jazz and piano. Individual
instruction is provided for vocal and instrumental study; Emma Willard attempts
to provide instruction in any instrument requested. Students in their first
year at Emma Willard are strongly urged not to take more than one course
of individual instruction in music.
Theatre
Theatre students are introduced to concepts of acting current in American
theatre, and do exercises and improvisations designed to free them as actors;
imagination, sensory awareness, vocal, and physical techniques are stressed,
and special attention is paid to exercises helping students use their own
imagination with confidence. In addition to acting, there are several courses
in playwriting and directing, as well as technical support. Oral Interpretation
and Speech is offered for students who want to improve their ability to read,
recite, or speak the famous words of others or their own work. Classes are
designed to help students gain a thorough understanding of theatrical and
staging techniques as they have evolved through history. Credit is granted
to participants in school productions; theatre pieces that include both offbeat
one-acts and mainstream productions take place in venues ranging from a 350-seat
auditorium to the more intimate lab theatre, living rooms, and gardens around
campus
From a sublime evening of chamber music to the zany Two Men Dancing About Math, Emma Willard’s arts calendar features an impressive range of concerts, gallery shows, artists-in-residence, guest speakers, dance assemblies, plays, films, recitals, and special events.
