Art Courses

This introduction to acting explores psychology and human behavior from page to stage. Students learn how to read a script, how to work on a scene, breaking it down into beats. Students study and utilize a rehearsal process, working with various scenes from American and English theatre, along with a scene partner. Script study includes monologues as well as scenes and requires performance of both.

Welcome to “Introduction to Creative Writing - FICTION.” The purpose of this course is to
introduce you to the basic structure and elements of short fiction as well as the methods most
commonly used in that kind of writing. In addition, we will introduce you to some of the
luminaries of the literary world, and examine them for what we can learn from them.

Filmmaking I is a hands-on introduction to key photographic concepts and the core concepts of self-expression with moving images. Students shoot digital video to learn the basic principles and techniques of light, composition, camerawork, editing and storytelling. Students will complete short individual assignments (in class), and work on a small group film project (in & out of class). There is a field-trip to a film festival (we will not have regular class that week).

This course will explore the basic principles and applications of music production and sound recording with a focus on creating original music and achieving the best sound quality in our own recordings and production. We will use Logic Pro X as our Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with the possibility of students utilizing GarageBand and Ableton Live. Students will have an opportunity to practice skills inside and outside of class.

This class builds upon acting elements taught in Acting. Utilizing scenes from classic American, British, Russian and Greek drama, the acting student reinforces skills in reading the play and bringing a specified scene to life. The actor learns to scour the play for clues towards building her character and writes a character biography. Students learn to create the character’s inner life and psychology. Students then learn to develop a character’s outer life. Using exercises to find a character’s physical center and utilizing the “Laban Efforts”, students explore the entire physicality of the character. Rehearsal proceeds with a scene partner exploring beats, character objectives and obstacles. Students create deep and profound connections to the characters and scene.

This class focuses on the creative process as spiritual and personal growth. Readings in The Artist’s Way as well as consistent daily writing of “Morning Pages” aids and directs creative and personal growth in the student’s journey. Additional readings, video talks on the creative process as well as the creation of artistic projects from start to finish, inform the student about the creative journey. A study of the arts and their effects as an act of expression and a way of learning and communicating is a main focus of this class.

In this course students advance their filmmaking skills from beginner to intermediate. Students learn more in-depth aspects of digital camera operations, lighting, audio recording, narrative scripting, non-linear editing, and special effects. Students design and produce two short film projects, and work on one longer narrative film using scripts developed in a separate Tzohar creative writing course.

This course will expand upon foundational skills in music production and require students to stretch their creative capacity as artists. We will focus on applications of music production and sound recording with a focus on creating unique music projects and achieving the best sound quality in our own recordings and production. We will use Logic Pro X as our Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with the possibility of students utilizing GarageBand.

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the basic structure and elements of writing poetry and short fiction as well as the methods most commonly used in that kind of writing. In addition, we will introduce you to some of the luminaries of the literary world, and examine them for what we can learn from them.

This course is designed to introduce students to various genres of dance including ballet, jazz, and hip hop. The course will focus on introducing technique as well as learning choreography. Attention will be placed on alignment, strength building, musicality, expression, and performance.

Weekly 25 minute private guitar lessons individually tailored to the needs and level of each student, beginner through advanced. Students will be given assignments and one on one work to advance students’ knowledge of basic music theory, note reading, and guitar technique and musicianship.

This course is designed for students who have little or no musical background. The course will provide basic knowledge in music theory, music history and Jewish music.