Classes

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St. John School of the Arts aim is to reach out to our youth, intervening through arts education during these impressionable formative years. Immersion in creativity, self-discipline and self-expression infuses the intellectual, social and psychological well being of our children. Numerous studies reveal arts education increases attention span, focus and cooperative learning, enhances creative intelligence, and augments scholastic learning.

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*These classes are offered based on availability of the instructors and are subject to change; please contact us if you have any questions regarding scheduling.

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Theater & Acting
Acting for Theater
Creative expression for the stage, using body, voice and imagination. Students will develop skills in characterization, realistic playing on stage, and emotional connection with a storyline.
Class will include character-related theater games and basic techniques for vocal preparation and performance. As an ensemble, we will work on projection, vocal quality, range, energy, and expressiveness through relaxation and technique exercises.
Movement Classes
Tumbling with Miss Jude
Dance to Calypso, Hip-Hop, and Country Music (by Kenny Chesney) and blow off some steam!
Jazz Dance/Hip Hop I & II
Learn Broadway style dance techniques and movement as well as popular street influenced dance.
Hip Hop Break Dancing
Start your day off right with a fun movement class exploring country and urban line dancing.
Pre-Ballet
Students learn to love movement and explore multiple ways of moving around a space. Students learn ballet terminology and steps, stretches, and movements across the floor, while having fun. Students hear a mix of classical ballet music, and silly songs. Dancers use their imagination to transform into animals. Dancers also have fun using props such as ribbons, instruments, parachutes, and much more!
Ballet I
Students learn the structure of a traditional ballet class. Reinforce the Fundamentals of classical ballet, focusing on proper body alignment, basic ballet technique and terminology, and musicality,. Students will be introduced to elementary barre and center work. This class is offered once a week. Students continue to work towards more advanced steps.
Ballet II
Students are invited to Ballet Level 2 after they have demonstrated full understanding of the previous level. Body alignment and muscle awareness will determine progress. Students learn the structure of a traditional ballet class, rms, direction of the body, and increased movement vocabulary. . Students learn ballet steps, and continue to work towards more advanced steps.
Ballet III
In Ballet Level 3, attention is paid to the proper extension of the limbs, shape of the feet, developing movement sequences, port de bras and balance. Students will see an increase in difficulty in barre and center work. Students begin focusing on repetition and retention.
Mama and Me
A sing-along, movement class providing a safe and endearing space for mothers to bondwith their infants and/or toddlers (Dads and grandparents are welcome also!)
Caribbean Movement
Music Classes
Ethnic Drumming
Using historical folklore as a medium of expression, students will be introduced to basic/intermediate Afro–Caribbean drumming and dance forms
Guitar I
Introduction to Guitar teaches basic guitar rhythm strumming using acoustic steel- string guitars in standard tuning. In this class we will learn and execute the open chord shapes and explore popular guitar strum patterns while engaging with contemporary, global guitar standards.
Guitar II
Guitar II helps student’s improve guitar basic guitar chords, picking, and finer picking techniques. To make the learning process engaging students will learn familiar song. Students will also be encouraged throughout the class to compose his or her own original song.
Groovin' with Ukulele
Introduction to Ukulele teaches basic Ukulele rhythm strumming using acoustic steel-string Ukuleles in standard tuning. In this class we will learn and execute the open chord shapes of C, Em, Am, F, G. We will learn the basic strum patterns using 4/4 rhythms, while engaging with contemporary Ukulele music standards of fun Caribbean, Hawaiian and Pop genres.
Songwriting
Learn easy songwriting techniques and tools to write your own music.
Sing Your Story
Songwriting after the Hurricanes: a small songwriting class environment for grades 6-8, providing space for students to express their unique experiences during and after the devastation caused by Irma and Maria.
Drumming I & II
Using historical folklore as a medium of Expression, students will be introduced to basic/intermediate Afro–Caribbean drumming and dance forms.
Visual Arts Classes
Expressive Painting and Drawing
Have fun painting and drawing learning to drip, layer, and smear on bright colors and textures. Sometimes we will paint and draw big using our whole body and sometimes we’ll paint and draw small. ng famous paintings to understand the artist’s styles, children are inspired to make their own paintings.
Environmental Art
This class aim to integrate the creating of art projects using the reduce, reuse, recycle ideology with the teaching of basic environmental science (level of material will be tailored according to age group). We will investigate how we use the Earth’s resources, how we treat the environment that surrounds us and come up with better, safer, cleaner ways of living on Earth.
Art For Social Change
This class advocate an approach which stresses the vital connections between students’ lives inside and outside of school within a framework of social and historical analysis. This approach encourages students to speak, create, and represent themselves from their own positions, as well as encourages them to critique their environment, and confront social issues in ways that are synthesized with the study of art. When the focus is shifted to issues and ideas that students truly care about and that are relevant within a larger life-world context, art becomes a vital means of reflecting upon the nature of society and social existence.
Art Around the World/Multicultural Art
This class will explore the roots and design traditions found in arts and crafts around the world. This class will not reduce cultural artifacts to empty forms devoid of historical or social significant, nor it will subsume art from different cultures under narrow formal or technical concerns derived from European aesthetic frameworks.
Paint and Draw Like a Famous Artist!
Learn to copy art work by Henri Matisse, Vincent Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Claude Monet and more!
Language Arts Classes
Chinese I
Learn to read, speak and write Mandarin Chinese, using calligraphy brushes, ink block, ink slab, and rice paper.
Chinese II
A next level course teaching students to read, speak and write conversational Mandarin Chinese, using calligraphy brushes, ink block, ink slab, and rice paper.