Performing Arts

Taught as part of Performing Arts Lab, the Dance Ensemble workshop focuses on intermediate to advanced level technical skills, performance skills, and team-building dynamics. Genres and styles covered include: contemporary, ballet, creative movement, musical theater, tap, jazz, hip hop, and modern. In addition, students have the opportunity to create their own dance works by learning skills in choreography and composition. Students in this class are required to perform in multiple events in and outside the Pingree community throughout the school year.

The afterschool Dance Program at Pingree is a team-structured, intensive program exploring an array of genres, including jazz, tap, ballet, modern, contemporary, hip hop, musical theater, and cheer dance. The goal is to excel in all styles of dance, learning multiple performance-based pieces. Dance Team members develop personal growth, teamwork, school spirit, and creativity. Students participate in numerous Pingree events such as dance concerts, musical theater productions, pep rallies, sporting events, charity events, workshops, and fundraisers. Pingree Dance Team also travels to off-campus sites to conduct dance workshops and performances.

In addition to regular course level work, dancers are required to create a piece for both Winter and Spring Dance Concerts. Dancers take all completed work from both semesters and create a Dance Reel in the Spring Semester to be showcased at end of the year. A journal is required to collect all creative processes throughout the year. Students also assist with dance productions, costume selections, music choices, guest artist master classes, field trips, and various dance events throughout the Pingree community. All honors level work will be compiled into a portfolio to be assessed by the department at the end of each semester.

 The Instrumental Music program at Pingree prides itself in offering creative musical opportunities of great breadth and depth. By participating in Pingree’s instrumental offerings, students have the opportunity to develop and extend their instrumental technique, learn how to actively listen and interact with one another, and to be composers and improvisers of their own music. Our ensembles, taught by artist-teachers who are all active performing musicians, are student-centered and emphasize the creative process of writing and performing music in conjunction with numerous performance opportunities in and around the Pingree community.

The music program at Pingree School strives to stay on the cutting-edge of the methods, styles, and trends in modern music making. As such, the role of technology in music production, composition, and performance takes a central role as a part of our comprehensive music program.

 Our Arts Wing is outfitted with a full-featured recording studio at its core, with all of our second floor music classrooms wired into a central recording Control Room that houses the hardware and software necessary for making recordings in the same manner and with the same technologies at professional studios.

The Arts Wing also features a state-of-the-art Digital Music Lab with a variety of hardware controllers, synthesizers, and computer workstations containing a range of professional music software applications. This lab is used regularly for classes dealing with music production and music theory, but is also open to all Pingree students for use in project-based work they may be doing in other classes.

Pingree’s vocal music program offers a variety of courses, activities, and student groups for both seasoned and novice singers. Students study vocal technique, musicianship, and performance, while covering music across all genres, including classical, jazz, pop, and musical theater.

Pingree's Theater program offers coursework in acting, directing, playwriting, public speaking, and improvisation—among other topics. Students annually present a fall mainstage production and a winter musical performance and are involved in all facets of the production process both as on-stage performers and behind-the-scenes writers, directors, choreographers, and set designers.

Technical Theater deals with all of the behind-the-curtain facets that happen in support of the performing arts. These areas include: scenery, lighting, sound, projection, props, and more. Pingree’s Theatrical Production and Design program engages students in storytelling through physical and visual means and offers students who may not identify as performers the chance to get involved in the world of theater.