Signature Electives

List of 7 items.

• Afro-Caribbean Dance

  Students explore the movements and rhythms from the Caribbean in a relaxed, supportive environment. Classes begin with warm-up exercises which lead into a series of dance movements and, possibly, a routine ready for performance. Some sessions include live drumming.
  

• Documentary Film

  Students look at a wide selection of documentary films, and explore how this mode of filmmaking differs from narrative fiction. Students see films on everything from high school basketball (Hoop Dreams) to mayoral elections (Street Fight), to people that live underneath New York City (Dark Days).

• Instrumental/ Vocal Ensemble

  Groups decide on a set list for an All-School Meeting concert and work together to arrange and learn chosen songs. Regardless of musical experience, students can expect to develop individual instrumental/vocal skills and to participate in the collaborative effort to carry out a performance. All genres of music are welcome.

• Oil Painting

  Students explore the process of painting in oil and the ways to use this medium for expression. In the beginning, students start with exercises to get the feel of the paint and learn the process of setting up and cleaning. Later, students work independently and choose their own subject matter. The class also touches on how to use color effectively, how to mix colors, and how to create the illusion of depth. Occasional informal critiques on student work are a part of the class.

• Sculpture

  Starting with exercises in form building with clay, students explore various materials in creating three dimensional works in this course. Students can use plaster, metal, paper, found objects, and stone, for example. One may decide to make a papier-mâché mask or an extensive clay project that they never had enough time to try in the previous years. It is up to the student to define what their sculpture is about and to determine which materials to use. The class also discusses a variety of methods of sculpting and presentation.

• Shop - A Series of your Choice

  In this elective, students make a series of items in the category of their choice (in this case, “series,” meaning any number more than one!) Three lamps, for example – all different, of course — or two cabinets, five mirrors, four clocks. Or even three different objects, such as a box, lamp and stool, but with a unifying design motif. The student decides what will make their projects into a cohesive series.

• Warm Glass Studio

  Students learn to make functional and decorative art with clear and colored glass that is fired in a kiln. This process is also known as glass fusing and slumping. Warm glass terms, tools, techniques and processes are introduced, as is mold-making, jewelry-making and collage, for those who are interested. Students learn through demonstration, examining samples, books and websites, and of course, plenty of hands-on practice. Once a technique is mastered, the student is free to explore their own ideas at their own pace and complete a number of projects.