Performing & Visual Arts

  • Dancers

Artistic experiences enrich students’ lives, cultivate creative and inventive thought, and provide unique opportunities for self-discovery and reflection. Through creative course work, as well as a variety of extra-curricular opportunities, our students are inspired as they actively participate in the creative process as individuals and collaborators. As a result of their experiences, USchool graduates are lifelong learners who value the arts as a dynamic contributing force, enriching not only their own lives, but also the lives of the greater community.

Theatre

Lower School students begin to explore their interests in theatre and performance through the Reader’s Theatre elective option. Middle School theatre begins with a Performance Arts Survey course that introduces students to dance, theatre, and vocal music. Students in the introductory and advanced levels explore theatre performance, theatre history, and Thespians. Pantomime, improvisation, theatrical direction, character development, dramatic structure, and scene study are used help to develop concentration and focus, enabling students to make a connection with the text and other actors. They work on monologues and acting scenes from various periods in history and even focus on the “inner workings” of backstage concepts including set design and implementation.

students performing

In Upper School, the focus expands to include the director’s point of view and the decision-making process of an actor. Students can examine the process of producing a play, incorporating the elements of design, performance, and direction in today’s theater while analyzing directing styles and techniques. The theatre department also produces a number of annual musicals and plays, open to students in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, providing opportunities for involvement on stage, in the pit, and even behind the scenes. In fact, our Middle and Upper School students also enjoy serving as mentors to our younger theatre students.

students performing

Theatre Success

  • The cast and crew of the musical Curtains received 22 Cappies nominations and received 6 Cappies Awards at the gala including best Featured Actress in a Musical, Male Dancer, Stage Management and Crew, Lighting, Male Vocalist, and Lead Actor in a Musical.
  • Three Upper School students served as critics for The Cappies, and their critiques from various high school productions around Broward and Palm Beach counties were selected to be published online.
  • Junior Thespians attended six workshops in New York City led by actors from Frozen on Broadway, including an audition workshop, acting workshop, dance workshop, and vocal workshop.
  • Middle and Upper School Thespians received Top Honors, Critic’s Choice, and over 40 Superior distinctions at the Florida State Thespian Festivals.

Speech and Debate

The Speech and Debate program teaches students about speech communication and works to enhance debating, public speaking, and interpretation skills. Students in this program also work on advanced research skills, which ultimately helps them prepare for competitions. Classroom debates will use the competitive debate model. Students are encouraged, but not required, to participate in rounds of competition outside of the classroom.

Speech and Debate Success

  • Sixty-five students in grades 6-12 participated in prestigious tournaments across the country, including Harvard University, Yale, and University of Florida, where they competed against more than 3,000 competitors and won numerous first place championships.
  • Six students qualified for the 2022 National Tournament, a week-long competition with more than 8,500 competitors from around the country.
  • Thirteen Speech and Debate students received top recognition and brought home three state championships at the Florida Forensics League Varsity State Championship Tournament, an invitation-only tournament where students qualified to participate against the best competitors in the state.
  • The National Speech and Debate Association recognized NSU University School as a School of Excellence in Debate (top 20) and a School of Honor in Speech (top 40).
  • An Upper School student was named a National Student of the Year finalist by the National Speech and Debate Association. This award honors not only competitive success but a nominee that represents humility, equity, integrity, respect, leadership, and service.

Music (Band, Orchestral Strings, Guitar, and Chorus)

Our music program offers continuous study in band, orchestral strings, guitar, and chorus. Band Ensemble provides students with large group experiences on wind and percussion instruments in a traditional concert band setting. Orchestral Strings is a performing ensemble consisting of piano, violin, viola, cello, and bass players. In small and medium ensemble settings, students develop skills through the rehearsal of classical and popular string literature. In Guitar Ensemble, students learn the entire fret board through traditional notation, tablature notation, ear-training techniques, sight-reading, and knowledge of music theory.


Chorus Ensemble provides every student the opportunity to use his or her voice as a means of musical expression. In this mixed voice ensemble, students develop musicianship through sight-reading, ear-training, and part-singing. The program culminates with a Music Theory course that encompasses an in-depth study of the fundamental elements of music (pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony and form) and explores the theoretical constructs of Western tonality of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Students in all music ensembles have opportunities throughout the year to perform at school, in the community, and compete at district, regional, and state level competitions and performance assessments.


Music Success

  • Our combined Middle & Upper School Concert Band performed at the Florida Bandmasters Association District 15 Music Performance Assessment and received an overall rating of Excellent.
  • Upper School band students have been invited to participate and perform in the University of Miami Frost Honor Band Festival, Florida State University Tri-State Band Festival, and the Youth Pride Band of South Florida.
  • Three Upper School students were selected to participate in the prestigious 2019 Florida All-State Reading Chorus hosted by the Florida Vocal Association. NSU University School had the most students selected out of any Broward County public or private school; only seven students from Broward County qualified.
  • Six Upper School students were selected to participate in the Florida All State Choruses following rigorous auditions.

Dance

Students develop a solid foundation in dance techniques, terminology, and theory by learning to blend choreography with music. Lower School students experiment with movement and basic choreography. Middle and Upper School dance students can work to hone their choreography and performance skills in the Dance Ensemble elective course, where they learn the various dance genres, such as ballet, modern, jazz, ethnic, and tap.

dancers

Advanced students can audition for USchool's two ensemble troupes, Innovations Dance Troupe (IDT) and En Pointe, which meet after school. All students in the program perform have opportunities to perform on the AutoNation Center for the Arts main stage, whether in the annual Dance Concerts or during school performances throughout the year.

dancers

Visual Arts (Ceramics, Drawing & Painting, Digital Photography, and Film & TV Production)

In the Visual Arts program, students are exposed to four areas of visual arts – Ceramics, Drawing & Painting, Digital Photography, and Film & TV Production – in which they will explore the elements of art, the principles of design and composition, and acquire various skills in drawing, painting, and mixed media 2D and 3D design. Ceramics exposes students to the stages of hand building clay, from initial design to finished projects using slab-building techniques. In Drawing & Painting, students will be coached in the use of various tools and media, and emphasis will be placed on observational drawings. They will develop an awareness of the conceptual aspects of art, an appreciation for art history, and an understanding of the cultural and intellectual contexts in which art is made.

swimmer

In Digital Photography, students learn the process and creative approaches to photographic imagery, processes, and techniques. They master the functions of a digital camera and learn to edit photographs using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. In Film & TV Production, students learn the techniques of camera work, screenwriting, and editing. Although the primary focus is on production, students will delve into the history, technological trends, ethics of filmmaking, and impact of broadcast journalism and film on our daily lives. Student will produce news segments, public service announcements, and short narrative and documentary films. Students will also direct multi-camera recordings for theatrical, dance, and musical productions. Developing a portfolio of independent projects will be an integral part of their self-directed studies.


Visual Arts Success

  • USchool Upper School students earned a combined total of 28 regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
  • Fifteen Upper School students were recognized by Debbie Wasserman Schultz at her annual Congressional High School Art Competition for Florida’s 23rd District. Their artwork was showcased at the special reception held inside the Nova Southeastern University Rick Case Arena.
  • Middle School students in our Drawing and Painting class were invited by artist Michael Todd to paint a mural in the underground tunnel that connects Friends of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park to Fort Lauderdale Beach as enrichment to their lesson in color theory.
  • Middle and Upper School students involved in the WUTV broadcast program had the opportunity to meet and be mentored by three-time Emmy Award-winning reporter and evening co-anchor at WPLG Local 10, Laurie Jennings.