trevordayschool

TREVOR DAY SCHOOL / 43 "The arts sharpened the analytical part of my brain. It had helped me compile many parts to make one large outcome. It also taught me about teamwork." —Cheri Morvain '96 I N S I D E T R E VO R T R E VO R T R A N S L AT E S F E AT U R E A R T I C L E S A L U M N I that for life. Trevor taught me how to be thoughtful, creative, think outside the box, ask why and how things are, rather than taking them as fact." The performing arts—music, dance, drama, and theatre arts—expose students to the interplay in life experiences between what is planned and expected versus what is anticipated and unexpected. As Adam Hartstone-Rose '99 aptly notes, "I am sure that the training that I had in theatre at Trevor has made me a much better university professor. In fact, I think that improv training is the best preparation for being an effective lecturer. Being an engaging teacher relies on unpredictable exchanges with students. The lesson is the progression of the scene, but the subtle, underlying emotional textures of the characters in it—both the professor and the students—are where the real movement is." In nurturing the skills of a 21st- century student, the Performing Arts teacher provides the map and compass directional tools, but the student is the navigator at the heart of the inquiry-based and experiential learning process. Litvin shares, "Music, dance, and theatre arts keep me grounded in the reality of the world we are living in: that context is everything and often there are many parts that must come together to create a larger picture. Viewing art teaches me how to understand the artist through a new medium, where it's relying on my emotions to, in some way, shape or form, connect with the artist's emotions." Alec Shields '17 notes, "Art, and creativity, more broadly, is not the sort of undertaking that can be taught or marketed in such a concrete and, dare I say, formulaic way. Teaching folks to appreciate the way in which art is different is a very important part of encouraging them to value something that sits outside what is considered normal or acceptable." Trevor encourages students to find themselves in the process of learning the discipline of an art form. The form allows for the shape and structure for expression, but how the student explores the art form's map could (and should) take many different routes. Patrice Scott '15 explains, "Trevor's emphasis on there being no wrong or stupid questions proves essential now, as I constantly feel surrounded by people afraid of judgment for asking clarifying questions [in the workplace]. I am treated with gratitude when I speak up about these topics at work." Henry Maguire '18 shares, "Theatre tech gave me an opportunity to have real responsibility, such as running a production and exploring things that interested me via hours in the shop. In many ways theatre tech made me feel like I was being treated as an adult collaborator, not just a student." Perspective and empathy interplay as one's perception of the world is reflected upon and made into something new. Georgetown Working in the scene shop is a staple in the Advanced Show Production class, where students learn to use tools and equipment to implement projects and to work on productions.

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