Fine Arts
The Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy Performing Arts Department is comprised of a highly qualified team of dedicated teachers who strives to offer the most outstanding arts education for every student at Agassi. Our arts team consists of teachers specializing in Music, Dance, and Theatre education. The Departmental Team provides ample opportunities for the students to showcase their hard work, dedication, discipline, and talents at various performing venues and concerts throughout the school year.
DEPARTMENTAL GOALS:
- To become familiar with the language of your specific craft by acquiring a working vocabulary based on elements and principles within this field.
- To become familiar with a variety of techniques and selected areas.
- To examine and evaluate performing arts past, present, and pending future.
- Acquiring knowledge of career opportunities available in the arts.
- Students will develop the ability to demonstrate, in writing and discussion, African-American, Western European, and other cultural art forms.
Music
The Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy Music Team works diligently to surpass local, state, and national music standards through the first and only school music program in the Southern Nevada area to offer a beginning strings program to all Agassi 4th grade students. 4th graders learn how to play the violin, viola, cello, and bass. In addition, 4th grade students have the opportunity to continue their string instrument instruction in their 5th grade year. Research supports the correlation between early music education and higher academic achievement, hence, the emphasis on bringing music education to all Elementary students at Agassi.
Upon graduation from Elementary to Middle School, the students have opportunity to join the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy Rhythm and Strings Orchestra and continuing their music education to a more advanced level. The Rhythm and Strings Orchestra class offers students the opportunity to learn either a stringed or percussion instrument. Daily instruction includes basic music fundamentals, music reading, and learning the mechanics of playing an instrument. As students graduate to Middle and High School, their music education opportunities continue through the High School Orchestra Ensemble and Marching Drum Line. Advanced music education serves as a vehicle to prepare students to compete for future college scholarships and acceptance to College and University programs around the country.
Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy Music Department Resource List:
- CCSD Curriculum Guide
- Nevada Standards
- Suzuki Violin Book 1
- Suzuki Book 1 Compact Disk Recording
- Orchestral Literature from various artists & publishers
- Original Compositions
- Instrumental equipment (includes all instrument families)
- Piano Literature and books from various artists & publishers
Dance
Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy dance courses are designed for students to explore various cultures through the art of movement. Students learn techniques of diverse dance forms to develop their ability to communicate in non verbal ways which is different from written or spoken word, or even from other visual or auditory systems. Within this process, they learn to respect their bodies and to comprehend that dance is the product of intentional and intelligent physical actions. AACPA recognizes the development of movement skills, creativity, and critical thinking skills in dance are important, regardless of whether students intend to pursue a career in dance. This is achieved by enhancing the students perceptive of theory, anatomy, vocabulary, biographies, history, and performance of dance. Students are trained in the styles of Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and West African, along with other influential cultural dance forms. Students are required to participate in selected school and outreach productions and afterschool/weekend rehearsals will be required. We strive to develop in our students ingenious, critical, and technical skills essential to the creative process and scholarly examination in the field of dance.
Course Goals
- Increase coordination, range of movement qualities, strength, and musicality. This includes rhythmic perception, spatial awareness, and technical skills.
- Develop a basic understanding of dance improvisational ideas.
- Develop a basic understanding of the dance rehearsal process and performance through learning and performing section of a dance.
- Students will develop the ability to demonstrate, in writing and discussion, the understanding and sensitivity toward both African-American and Western European influences of the development of dance in America.
- To acquire knowledge of career opportunities available in the dance field.
Theatre
Theatre, in its entirety, is one of the primary ways students learn about actions, consequences, customs and beliefs, others, and themselves. Students learn through their social pretend play and from hours of viewing television and film. With these unconscious social impressions, students arrive at school with rudimentary skills as actors, designers, directors, script writers, and even audience members. Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy theatre courses are designed with this focal point, to familiarize students with theatre's intent, structure, and values. Class work focuses on performance through demonstration of various skills, i.e. acting, script writing, and stage production. Emphasis is placed on developing self-expression, self and other responsiveness, increasing general knowledge of theatre, and encouraging social adjustment. Students will be required to participate in various school productions and afterschool/weekend rehearsals will be required. AACPA’s Theatre Program strives to provide students with exciting opportunities to develop their abilities to express their understanding and broaden their knowledge of other cultures.
Course Goals
- To become familiar with the language of theatre by acquiring a working vocabulary based on elements and principles within this field.
- To become familiar with a variety of techniques and selected areas including: acting, stage production, and script writing.
- To examine and evaluate theatre’s past, present, and pending future.
- Utilize various presentation techniques requisite for various stage productions.
- Exploring appropriate multi-media technology as it relates to theatre.
- Acquiring knowledge of career opportunities available in theatre.
The Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy Performing Arts Faculty believes that every student has the ability to learn and develop through these disciplines. Research supports arts education leading to higher academic achievements.
Look and listen for future performances and outstanding work as we forge into another year of building a Standard of Excellence in the Performing Arts Department.
Performing Arts Department Personnel:
Jerek Hough
Director of Performing Arts (Middle and High School Dance/Theatre Instructor)
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Rachel Julian
Music Department Chair (Middle and High School Percussion/Music Theory, and Afterschool Music Program Instructor)
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Scott Gruber
Director of Music (Elementary, Middle, and High School Orchestra/Suzuki Instructor)
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Woody Woods
Director of Jazz Ensemble (Middle and High School Jazz, Choir, and Afterschool Music Program instructor)
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