Performing Arts

Academics

Performing Arts Curriculum

The Upper School performing arts curriculum incorporates the discipline of study and the mastery of skill in choreography, performance, and technical design, to cultivate curiosity and ignite the imagination. In fostering an atmosphere where exploration, invention, practice, and reflection are intrinsically valued, students are encouraged to engage in the creative process as well as in the practice of performance. Such development creates not only actors, dancers, designers, and storytellers, but individuals who are more aware, observant, and responsive.

The Middle School performing arts curriculum incorporates an exposure to dance and drama technique, improvisation, and composition. In dance, students develop their own movement potential through individual and collaborative projects in which they are presented with a series of compositional concepts and problems. In drama, students explore storytelling techniques through body, voice, space, games, and theatrical design tools. Students have the opportunity to perform the work they create for their peers.

In the Lower School, the study of performing arts is woven into Trevor’s approach to building musicianship through the integration of music, movement, speech, and drama. Additionally, as part of their MiniTerm studies, 4th and 5th graders have the hands-on experience of staging a musical performance each winter. Recent productions have included Annie and Matilda.

Signature Trevor

Trevor’s Performing Arts Department cultivates habits of mind in its students so that they can develop their sense of self and forge a relationship to the world through the arts. The program uniquely engages students by offering experiences with diverse perspectives and modeling professionalism in the field.

Trevor:

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Uses the city as a resource, including experiences and workshops with 92nd St Y, Broadway Inbound, Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, Dodge Poetry Festival, LaMama, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Pen World Voices, STREB, Swedish Marionette Theatre in Central Park, and Tut’Zanni Theatre Company.
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Develops interdisciplinary courses co-taught with the English Department, such as Radical Texts: Poetry, Politics, and Performance.
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Students are responsible for all content and technical support for Choreolab, an annual dance performance with over 30 years of history.
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There is a robust visiting artist program that includes directors, costume designers, set designers, guest teachers, artists, poets, and choreographers. Alumni in the field are invited back as frequently as possible to collaborate with the department in these various roles.

Department Mission Statement

The Performing Arts Department offers an inclusive, hands-on program that inspires a lifelong love for dance and theater. Our approach combines practical skill-building with intellectual exploration, encouraging students to both understand and express themselves. Using a collaborative, student-centered approach, teachers act as guides and learning partners, responding thoughtfully to students’ ideas and questions.

We emphasize both technical skill and creative discovery, helping students build a strong foundation in technique while sparking their curiosity and imagination. Our goal is to develop not only talented performers, choreographers, and designers but also thoughtful, observant individuals with a deep appreciation for the arts and an ability to engage meaningfully with the world.

In a supportive environment that values both exploration and disciplined practice, students are encouraged to engage fully in the creative process and in performance. Mentorship opportunities are available, fostering a sense of responsibility and encouraging reflection on one’s growth and work. We honor self-awareness and empathy, recognizing that art-making is as much about personal growth and connection as it is about technical mastery.

Faculty

The Performing Arts faculty is a passionate team committed to artistic excellence. Each member is a supportive teaching artist who engages with students in their creative process and models both artistry and professionalism.

Just as Trevor teachers are widely available to their students in Trevor’s common rooms and centers, the performing arts department uses the Sally A. Rocker Theatre for the Arts as its hub for engagement. At any point during the school day, and far into the evening, you can expect to find students, teachers, and visiting artists exploring the creative process and making art in the shop, dressing room, wings, and booth, and most certainly on the stage.

College Ready

Having completed their course of study in Performing Arts, Trevor graduates can engage with the arts in diverse ways including design, participation, performance, and analysis. The Performing Arts graduate has learned creative problem-solving skills to engage respectfully and responsibly with the global community. Trevor performing artists and technicians pursue a disciplined approach to arts practice and technique and can readily apply a professional attitude towards learning in college and beyond. In college and in the professional arena, our alumni run the gamut of successful performers, playwrights, screenwriters, dancers, choreographers, and theatre technicians.