Arts
Saint Mary’s School invites you to explore and develop your creative talents in music, dance, theatre, and the visual arts.
Whether you’re bound for art school or just like to doodle, want to become a professional singer or just enjoy singing in the shower, hope to dance on Broadway or just turn a move at the prom, you’ll find classes that challenge and teachers who inspire.
Artistic pursuits may be motivated by curiosity, passion or an already developed discipline. No matter what your talent and goals, dedicated Saint Mary's teachers accommodate your level of skill and ambition and help you move forward.
Whether you are an artist, an actor, a dancer or a musician, visual and performing arts instructors strive to
- Build your self-confidence by grounding you in your chosen discipline
- Empower you to grow into a thoughtful, expressive adult
- Teach you the appropriate level of skill to a degree that pride in creative outcome is a given
- Motivate you and teach to your individual goals and learning style
- Instill in you a fundamental appreciation of our rich cultural arts heritage
- Encourage you to preserve and support the arts in your own community
Arts Calendar
Arts News
Saint Mary’s School seminar program integrates what we know girls need, with what we know of the changing world girls will be facing, to provide relevant, forward-looking, real-world opportunities to prepare girls for college and life. In collaboration with Saint Mary’s Seminar faculty, Black Box Dance Theatre is working with our students to provide innovative programming to explore topics relevant to the areas of focus as well as current events for each grade level.
If I had a nickel for every time that someone in the last month has asked me, “How are you teaching chorus online?”, well… I’d have LOTS of nickels. My response has varied from an indignant “Of course, I do!” to a kinder, “It’s different, but we are still singing and sharing music every day. Why wouldn’t we?” I got the giggles in a recent Zoom meeting with Director of Dance Ms. Yount and some others last week when a friend said, “How are you, Lisa? Are y’all still dancing?” Ms. Yount backed up so the camera captured her entire living room with every piece of furniture pushed to the walls and stacks of CDs next to an 80’s boom box. Yes! The dance goes on!
Dear Saint Mary’s Community,
Although you may not be joining us for a concert in Pittman auditorium… I hope this letter finds you and your family in great health and in the comfort of your homes. This truly has been a time of adjustment for Orchesis Dance Theatre, as the dancers have left the studios and found themselves spinning around in their kitchens taking virtual dance classes. The vast changes in our daily lives have not, however, belittled the dedication, love, and strength of Orchesis Dance Theatre. This spring concert may look a little different but it is busting at the seams with remarkable creativity.
In the age of COVID-19 and distance learning, arts education may be among the most challenging disciplines to teach online. The performing arts typically involve lengthy in-person collaboration and rehearsals working closely together toward live performance with real-time reaction from an audience. The creation of visual art benefits from the hands-on interaction between teacher and student with all the resources of the studio. True to their creative and resilient nature, Saint Mary’s Visual and Performing Arts faculty and students are rising to the meet the challenge with innovative projects and strategies to continue their work in meaningful ways.
Over the weekend of Feb. 7-9, 2020, 23 members of the Orchesis Dance Theater, along with dance instructors Lisa Yount and Michelle Pearson headed off to Washington D.C. for a delightful two-night trip.
The group left Friday morning and spent their first day discovering Georgetown and sightseeing at the Georgetown Harbor. The day concluded with dinner all together at a Mexican restaurant right next to the ice-skating rink.
Lift every voice and read! Saint Mary’s School presents its 12th annual celebration of the African American Read-In (AARI), Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, during a special assembly in historic Pittman Auditorium.
Saint Mary’s blockbuster theatre production of Mary Poppins played to packed houses, rave reviews, and roaring standing ovations the weekend of Feb. 21-22, 2020.
I am thrilled to invite you to Orchesis Dance Theatre’s Fall 2019 Concert. This concert showcases our company of amazing and talented dancers. We have 19 members currently performing with Orchesis Dance Theatre. We have been so fortunate to welcome eight incredible new dancers into the company this fall.
Orchesis Dance Theatre proudly presented its Fall 2019 Concert, Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m., in Eliza Battle Pittman Auditorium. The concert featured choreography by Saint Mary’s dance faculty, Lisa Yount and Michelle Pearson, with guest artist choreography by Valonda Calloway and Natalie Morton.
On Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, four seniors from Saint Mary’s Orchesis Dance Theatre traveled with Saint Mary’s adjunct dance teacher and Black Box Dance Theatre Artistic Director Michelle Pearson to a USO Warrior Reset workshop providing leadership and resiliency training for active duty service men and women.
Saint Mary’s Theatre is proud to present Decision Height, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 25-26, 2019, nightly at 7 p.m., in historic Eliza Battle Pittman Auditorium. From the winner of the 2013 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, comes a story about friendship and the complex though essential role of women in wartime.


