Drama
Courtyard has a dedicated theatre arts teacher and all students attend drama and dance class weekly. In addition to dedicated performing arts classes, Courtyard teachers integrate drama into each classroom through language arts and social studies. Students are provided an opportunity throughout the year to showcase their talents in regular performances for the school and local community.
We strive to ensure that all students become comfortable with an audience – public speaking as well as “in character”. Students gain experience as an audience, in addition to in front of one. Understanding and reading scripts, developing character, genre-experimentation, and memorization are focuses across grade levels. Through simple scripted scenes, performance projects, and/or practical application, students learn to identify what makes performances believable and explore the tools used to create, articulate, and execute them.
Music
Courtyard has a dedicated music teacher and all students attend music class weekly. The music program at Courtyard is designed to provide extensive, diverse, 21st-century learning and performing experiences for all students. Students develop their singing voices, instrumental skills (percussion, keyboard, recorders), and their music/movement connection in their exploration of the fundamental elements of music, such as tempo, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, and others. Whether in individual, small group, or large ensemble contexts, they have opportunities to present and perform music from familiar sources and music that expands their worldview. They listen to, read about, and discuss notable pieces and compositions, influential figures, and significant periods and moments in music history.
Courtyard students feature in two main performances: a winter showcase in December and a Spring Showcase, between April and June.