Denver School of the Arts
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Denver School of the Arts | |
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DSA rotunda (on east side of building) | |
Location | |
7111 Montview Boulevard Denver, Colorado United States | |
Coordinates | 39°44′53.06″N 104°54′18.75″W / 39.7480722°N 104.9052083°WCoordinates: 39°44′53.06″N 104°54′18.75″W / 39.7480722°N 104.9052083°W |
Information | |
Type | Magnet secondary |
Established | 1991 |
School district | Denver Public Schools |
Principal | Anthony McWright |
Staff | 78[1] |
Grades | 6 to 12 |
Enrollment | 1,088 (2016–17)[2] |
Color(s) | Black and white, in addition to a separate color for each major |
Athletics | None |
Mascot | Siberian tiger |
Superintendent | Susana Cordova |
Website | Official website |
Denver School of the Arts (DSA) is a comprehensive, public, arts magnet school, serving grades 6–12. Located at 7111 Montview Boulevard in the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, the school is operated by the Denver Public School District.
The school has a dual mission of arts and academics, preparing students for a career in the arts or conservatory study as well as a pursuit of higher education.
DSA currently offers 11 arts majors – bands, creative writing, dance & movement, guitar, orchestra, piano, stagecraft & design, theatre, video cinema arts, visual arts, and vocal music.
Contents
History
Denver School of the Arts began as a concurrent program at Manual High School in the late 1980s, but was eventually transformed into a fully staffed school in the former Byers Middle School at 150 South Pearl Street – the former site of Byers Mansion.
During the 2003–2004 school year, DSA moved to its current location at 7111 E. Montview Boulevard, the former site of the W. Dale and W. Ida Houston Fine Arts Center built by the Colorado Women's College and later used by the Lamont School of Music.
DSA continues to provide rigorous academic and arts training to its students, and it consistently ranks among the top high schools in the state of Colorado.[3][4]
Students
DSA serves both middle school and high school students. Graduating class sizes are small, with approximately 140 students comprising the Class of 2018.
Audition process
DSA requires an audition for prospective students competing to join one of its eleven offered majors, which include creative writing, dance, instrumental music (bands, orchestra, piano and guitar), stagecraft & design, theatre, video cinema arts, visual arts, and vocal music.
DSA maintains rigorous academic and artistic standards. Each student is required to maintain at least a 'B' letter grade in their major class as well as an overall grade point average of 2.5 or higher. A student with deficiencies may be placed on artistic or academic probation, with the eventual possibility of losing his or her position at DSA.
Extracurricular activities
Clubs and organizations
Extracurricular activities include Tri-M Music Honor Society, International Thespian Society, National History Day, Destination Imagination, Gender & Sexuality Alliance, Black History Month, and Harry Potter Alliance. DSA has an active National Honor Society program, which emphasizes both academic excellence and community service. DSA also has an award-winning Speech & Debate team.
Performances
Each performing arts major holds its own performances throughout the year. The Theatre department holds an "All-School Musical" each year, wherein members of any major can audition for acting, ensemble, and pit orchestra roles. Musicals have included Shrek The Musical (2018-2019), In the Heights (2017-2018), The Producers (2016-2017), and Hairspray (2015-2016).
Majors
DSA offers majors in Guitar, Vocal Music, Piano, Creative Writing, Video Cinema Arts, Stagecraft and Design, Dance, Visual Arts, Band, Orchestra, and Theatre.[5] All majors are chosen at 6th grade except for Stagecraft and Design, which is only offered for 9th grade and above. Students may switch their major by going through that major's audition process, but a spot in that major is not guaranteed.[6]
Sports
Denver School of the Arts does not offer its own extracurricular sports programs, nor does it offer in-school physical education. DSA students are encouraged to participate in sports programs at other Denver high schools and middle schools. Many students at DSA play sports at the sister school of East High School or at their "home" high school.
Notable alumni
- Peter Atencio - director, Key & Peele, Comedy Central; director, Keanu; winner, Peabody Award[7]
- Eli Carpenter - artistic director, Southern Colorado Repertory Theater
- Barton Cowperthwaite - dancer, An American in Paris[8]
- Gabriel Ebert - stage actor, Matilda the Musical; screen actor, Ricki and the Flash, Mr. Mercedes; winner, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical[9]
- Sur Ellz - songwriter[10]
- Ryan Foo - event producer, comedian, podcaster[11]
- Mackenzie Gault - violist; co-founder, Flobots[12]
- Shayna Goldstein - singer; solo project, Shila Gold[13]
- Mondo Guerra - fashion designer, winner, Project Runway: All Stars (2012)[14]
- Jesse JP Johnson - stage actor, Wicked[15]
- Justine Lupe - screen actor, Mr. Mercedes, Cristela, Harry's Law[16]
- Shannon Patilla - Miss Colorado, 2016[17]
- Max Posner - playwright[18]
- Jessica Posner-Odede - author; co-founder, Shining Hope for Communities[19]
- Jon Shockness - musician; co-founder of Air Dubai; solo project, Kid Astronaut[20]
References
- ^ "Denver School of the Arts | Staff List". Dsa.dpsk12.org. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
- ^ "DENVER SCHOOL OF THE ARTS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ "How Does Denver School of the Arts Rank Among America's Best High Schools?". U.S. News & World Report. 2018.
- ^ "Explore Denver School Of The Arts in Denver, CO". GreatSchools.org. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
- ^ "Arts". dsa.dpsk12.org. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ "Denver School of the Arts | Change of Major Policy". Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ^ "Key & Peele". peabodyawards.com. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- ^ Denver Center for the Performing Arts (2017-03-11), A Denverite in 'Paris' returns to alma mater, retrieved 2019-02-12
- ^ "Actor From Lakewood Wins Tony Award For Role In 'Matilda'". 2013-06-10. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
- ^ Cowing, Riley (2017-05-16). "From MTV to DIY: Sur Ellz Shows How Real-Ass People Live". Westword. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- ^ Froyd, Susan (2017-08-10). "100 Colorado Creatives 4.0: Ryan Foo". Westword. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- ^ Callwood, Brett (2017-04-10). "Three Albums Later, the Flobots Have Perfected Protest Songwriting". Westword. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
- ^ Cowing, Riley (2017-10-05). "Denver's Shilo Gold on Her Monday Night Appearance on The Voice". Westword. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
- ^ "Mondo Guerra celebrates win on "Project Runway All Stars"". The Denver Post. 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
- ^ Rada, Sofia (2013-10-31). "Q-and-A with 'Wicked' star Jesse JP Johnson". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- ^ "Ostrow: Denver actor Justine Lupe joins "Harry's Law"". The Denver Post. 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- ^ "Shannon Patilla is Miss Colorado 2016". The Kaleidoscope of Pageantry. 2016-06-12. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- ^ Soloski, Alexis (2015-08-19). "Max Posner, a Playwright With an Absurdist Style, on the Lure of Basements". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- ^ "Jessica Posner Odede: From New York to Nairobi | Independent Lens | PBS". Independent Lens. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
- ^ Murphy, Tom (19 August 2015). "Former Air Dubai Singer Jon Shockness Debuts Kid Astronaut". Westword. Retrieved March 22, 2018.