Bringing The District Together in Spring 2023
The VAPA Department has many events in which we bring students from different schools across the district together. A few are elite honors experiences, but many more are inclusive, collaborative, non-competitive events in which many students can participate. They also connect our students with local arts organizations, either by including the organizations in a district event or by bringing our students out into the community to their spaces. Read below to learn about the events that build relationships between students and with our arts partners.
DANCE
Day of Dance
On a weekday in May, middle and high school dance programs visit Dorothea Laub Dance Place in Liberty Station for dance workshops and a professional dance presentation. This year’s partner companies include San Diego Dance Theater, San Diego Ballet, Malashock Dance, The Rosin Box Project, H2O Dance Company, bkSOUL, DISCO RIOT, DanzArts, and Brandon Lazo.
SDUSD students participate in workshops in studios in Dorothea Laub Dance Place in Liberty Station at the 2022 Day of Dance
MUSIC
District Choral Showcases
On a weekday in February, elementary, middle, and high school choirs perform for each other in Henry High's PHAME theater. After their performance, they receive an onstage clinic from a conductor with San Diego Children's Choir or San Diego Master Chorale.
Band and Orchestra Festival
In a partnership with the San Diego Symphony, on a weekend in April, selected high school bands and orchestras perform a free, open-to-the-public concert at the Rady Shell. Students are able to watch their peers from the audience.
The Dingeman Elementary Honor Choir performs in PHAME at the 2023 District Choral Showcase
Photo credit: Lisa Shadburn
Our Band and Orchestra Festival is an open-air public performance in the Rady Shell
THEATRE
JumpStart Musical Theatre Conference
On a weekend in February, middle school students from JumpStart Theatre programs (a partnership with La Jolla Playhouse, iTheatrics and EdTA Foundation) come together for a mini musical theatre conference hosted by the Mira Mesa High School Theatre Program. These students and teachers from across the district attend interactive workshops in dance, voice, acting and food prop construction, and are treated to performances by MMHS alumni and a musical number from their most recent musical.
Honor Theatre Project
During February and March, La Jolla Playhouse teaching artists travel to various high schools to guide theatre students in creating devised theatre scenes. In March and April, a separate group of students rehearses the interdisciplinary production and performs it as part of La Jolla Playhouse's internationally acclaimed WOW Festival.
JumpStart Theatre Showcase
The JumpStart Theatre Showcase is the end-of-the-year capstone event for JumpStart middle school musical theatre programs, in which students from all JumpStart schools come together at La Jolla Playhouse to share a musical number from their production.
Students cheer for each other at the 2023 Jumpstart Musical Theatre Conference
Scripps Ranch High School students create tableaux (frozen pictures) to generate ideas for the 2023 devised honor theatre production
Visual Art & MEDIA ARTS
District Art Exhibition
In the month of March, visual and media artworks collected from all ages across the district are displayed at the SDUSD Education Center as well as online. There is a public reception to celebrate the opening of the exhibition at the Ed Center.
Honor Art Exhibition
In April, high school students submit works of art (including drawings, paintings, ceramics, photography, animation, and film) for evaluation by art exhibition professionals from Art Produce, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Mesa College Museum Studies program. Selected works are displayed in a professional space.
Superintendent Jackson analyzes an artwork with a student at the 2023 District Art Show
The 2022 Honor Art Exhibition at VISUAL gallery+design in North Park
We are grateful to the VAPA Foundation for their financial support of these events.