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Creative Arts
At Summit we believe the creative arts allow students to discover who they are and gain self-confidence along the way.
The Art of
Expression
The creative arts are means of communicating ideas, feelings, and solutions in a way other than verbally or written. The most gratifying part is that students know there is no one way to respond, interpret, or create. They know that their own way will speak volumes.
Students who may be having difficulties in other parts of the school curriculum may find an expressive outlet through the creative arts. The Arts can be a way to uncover creativity that may not be seen otherwise
Creating art enables students to make choices, solve problems, and build identity. At Summit School, there are a variety of programs available in which the students can engage their imaginations and express themselves in a creative environment: dance, drama, media, music and visual arts.
VISUAL ARTS
"Every child is an artist." - Pablo Picasso
The focus of the art program is on expressive art activities used purely as a way for students to explore, create, discover, and express their feelings and ideas. Through expressive art-making, student artists can experience a variety of media and materials as a means of finding ways to interpret their experiences. The art program provides exposure to various art techniques, styles, movements, and famous artists from both past and present inspiring each student to see that he or she is an artist with his or her own individual ideas.
Art Teachers
Summit Art Gallery
MUSIC
"Where words fail, music speaks." - Hans Christian Andersen
The students get the opportunity to participate in activities that feature exploration on a range of instruments, musical interpretation using a variety of musical styles, singing songs, dancing and learning through movement, composing and recording, and creating and exploring through play. The music department often highlights the students in showcase and concert settings and occasionally goes into the community to learn about sound outside the school!
Music Teachers
ERLA AXELSDOTTIR
Music Teacher
eaxelsdottir@summit-school.com
AUBREYLYN ZAZYCZNY
Music Teacher / Department Head
azazyczny@summit-school.com
Listen to Summit RADIO
Podcasts
Songs
DANCE
"Dance is the hidden language of the soul." - Martha Graham
By using improvisation technique, incorporated into dance choreography, students have the opportunity to express themselves in a non verbal and creative manner. Students are exposed to various types of music and they explore the feeling and images it evokes in them, in addition to inspiring story lines that we can explore together. Using movement and choreography, in an amusing and stimulating environment, students build their attention skills, their ability to take direction, their self-confidence and have the opportunity to interact with each other, both in a verbal and non verbal way.
Dance Teacher
DANCE SPECIAL PROGRAM: Circus Outing
My past experience allows me to bring a small group of Summit staff and students to tour L’École National de Cirque (ENC) every year. We enjoy a half day outing whereby Summit students have a chance to tour the installations of the ENC, to see a short performance by a few of ENC’s graduating students, and to participate in a collaboration between ENC students and Summit students, using dance improvisation as our medium, orchestrated by myself. The experience is fun, lively, memorable and enriching for all.
Here are a couple of comments resuming the highlights of the experience as written by Summit students:
“I loved watching the girl on the German wheel. My favorite part was doing the dance moves with the cirque students.”
“I thought the performances were cool. My favorite part was interacting with the students. They are the best!”
DANCE SPECIAL PROGRAM: Theatre Outing
Each year I bring all of my students for a full day workshop to experience being on stage at the Maison de la culture Mercier, where they are provided an incredible sensory experience. On stage, the students experience moving, communicating and existing in a completely different space than that of our dance studio or their classroom at the school. They experience light and dark in each extreme including special effects. They are surrounded by music that evokes movement, emotion and stories. We have the chance to demystify the stage with all its workings including back stage, behind the scenes and some students can assist with the technical aspects of the theatre. Throughout the day all students present their achievements and creations to their teachers and peers, who are watching in the audience. The excitement of the students is palpable from the moment they enter the Maison de la Culture, to when the curtain opens to reveal their performance, right up to their final bow.
MEDIA ARTS
"Remember, you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine." - Snow White
The media program seeks to take inspiration from the students’ own lives and expand them into a variety of projects using media and technology. Summit’s students tell their own stories in video, acting, or web-based projects that they write, storyboard, direct, and act in themselves. The media program also focusses on real issues facing our students and the different outlets of expression and communication that can be available to help them express and be heard.
Media Teachers
