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 Head Over Heels received 20 Cappies nominations and won 8 Cappies Awards at the gala including Top Critic Team in the Region, Sophomore and Junior Cappie Critic, Marketing and Publicity, Special Effects and/or Technology, Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Musical, Hair and Makeup, and Female Dancer.
  • Six 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.
  • Middle and Upper School Thespians received Top Honors and Superior and Excellent 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. Students won more than 80 awards for the 2022-23 school year.
  • Seven students qualified for the 2022 National Tournament, a week-long competition with more than 8,500 competitors from around the country.
  • Seventeen 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.
  • 2023 Varsity State Championship in Public Forum Debate
  • 2022 National Speech and Debate Association National Public Forum Champion

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

  • Four student musicians participated in All-State Ensembles following rigorous auditions. They performed in an exhibition concert at the FMEA All-State Conference, one of the largest music education professional development events in the U.S.
  • Four band students earned Superior ratings on their Solo and Ensemble state evaluations.
  • One of our freshman musicians selected among 16 of Broward County's finest piano students performed at the Chopin Foundation’s Young Pianist Concert, an annual event that showcases the future stars of classical music.
  • Eleven Middle and Upper School students were selected for the All-County Honor Choir.
  • Aquapella performed at the National A Capella Convention.

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 17 regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Out of more than 300,000 works of visual and literary arts, one USchool student earned a National Silver Medal for her writing piece that exemplified originality, technical skills, and the personal voice.
  • USchool News Broadcast competed at the Student Television Network (STN) national convention in Long Beach, CA. 
  • USchool News has launched a sports broadcast division which includes sport communication classes, play-by-play announcements, and live game coverage.  
  • The USN Newspaper received two Excellence ratings and five Honorable Mentions at the Spring Florida Scholastic Press Association Competition.
  • The USN Newspaper published four issues within a year that garnered more than 600 views per issue.