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Best Schools for Performing Arts, Abu Dhabi, Dubai
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Cranleigh School, Abu Dhabi

Any school that has a motto which reads Ex Cultu Robur (From Culture Comes Strength) has a lot to live up to in terms of making culture come to life. Cranleigh’s motto reflects the significance the school attributes to developing cultural experiences for its students. The school is positioned at the gateway to the Saadiyat Cultural District and aims to take full advantage of the opportunities this offers.

Cranleigh very definitely chose to make its mark on the Abu Dhabi cultural scene through its production of Beautiful World, a ground breaking educational project initiated in 2016 as part of the school’s co-curricular cultural and arts programme. From the outset, the project’s aspirations were ambitious, focusing on two key goals. Firstly, to find a new and innovative way to celebrate UAE culture; and secondly, to inspire and develop children through performance and visual arts.

The poem, Beautiful World, written by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan became the muse for Emirati-born calligraphy artist, Narjes Noureddine, and resulted in the creation of collection of artworks which were exhibited at Cranleigh, in association with Abu Dhabi Art, in November 2016.

The second part of the project saw Karen Gillingham, Artistic Director of the Youth Opera Company at London’s Royal Opera House, bring together a creative group comprising a music director, choreographer, designer and two opera singers. Narjes joined this team and together, they worked intensively with 80 students and Cranleigh’s own performing arts faculty to devise, shape and stage a unique production. Everything, from set design to costumes, and dance choreography to musical libretto, was created by the students themselves, in less than five days.

The Beautiful World concluded in December 2016 at Abu Dhabi’s National Theatre with the installation of Narjes’ exhibition and a revival performance of the opera under the patronage and in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.

The project was a pilot and, based on its success, the vision is that the model will be extended to involve and engage a broader section of Abu Dhabi’s educational and cultural community in the future.

Music, Drama, Dance, Art and Design, the Performance and Arts teams at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi combine to form an integral part of school life. The extended day which the school offers to students – whereby they have an additional two and a half hours of timetabled activity each afternoon – means that there is much greater opportunity for students to participate in Creative Arts.

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The Music Department provides children with timetabled weekly academic music lessons as well as a wide variety of competitions, concerts, plays and workshops. In class, lessons pupils develop their personal musical understanding through performing, composing, listening and discussion. The school aims to ensure that students use a variety of instruments and equipment, learn to listen critically to a wide range of music, use informed musical language and vocabulary, develop an understanding of musical elements and structure, and can express their feelings and responses to music.

In addition to timetabled music lessons, where Junior School students have access to Ocarina, Xylophone, Ukulele and Keyboard, the school offers an extensive programme of individual music lessons through the Instrumental Music Scheme. All pupils are encouraged to take up an instrument from Year 3 onwards – over 260 students (39%) are currently involved in the scheme. Students are encouraged to participate in an extensive ensemble programme which includes wind bands, string ensembles, jazz bands, brass bands, orchestras and choirs.

As would be expected, facilities are excellent with designated practice and band rooms for the Junior School and the Senior School. The Senior School is home to the auditorium with adjoining 100 seat Recital Hall and recording studio. Academic music classrooms are equipped with music technology areas and keyboards.

Music is compulsory for all students from FS1 to year 9. Currently Music is offered at GCSE and will be offered at GCE A level as the Sixth Form grows. Cranleigh intends to participate in Choirfest and Singing for Fun from 2017-18.  The school will send Music students to Cranleigh UK in January 2018, as part of a week-long bi-annual cultural exchange programme following the hosting of students from Cranleigh UK in Abu Dhabi in 2016.

All pupils from years 5-11 have timetabled lessons for Dance, whilst FS1 to year 3 are offered this subject as either an internal extra-curricular activity or as an after school activity, with close to 40% of students taking part. The school underlines the positive impact Dance can have on pupils’ physical development as well as social and emotional. Dance is also considered important  for its academic element. 

The school places a strong emphasis on the unique balance they believe Dance offers as it contributes to both the artistic education and physical activity of pupils. Students devise pieces as a group and are assessed at the end of each half-term. They also have opportunities to choreograph work independently and collaboratively. A visit to the school in 2016 by Carlos Acosta, who provided students with a Master-class, gave them the opportunity to find out about the commitment required to succeed at a professional level.

Year 10 and 11 students may take GCSE Dance and GCE A Level Dance will be offered as the Sixth Form develops. The Dance department and students collaborate with NYU Abu Dhabi and are also planning to host the first BSME Dance Festival in 2017-18.

Drama in Education lessons encourage pupils to extend their range of expression in communication, acquire dramatic skills and to understand a wide variety of texts. They do not necessarily lead to public performances but are used as a means to explore themes and topics through Drama. Pupils are marked equally on creating, performing and responding.

Much of the work is cross-curricular – effectively using Drama to explore topics being covered in other curriculum areas including Humanities, English, Social Studies, Science and ICT. The school has many drama groups for aspiring thespians. Students have opportunities to participate in small studio productions, dramatic presentations, or in fully staged plays.

Cranleigh is a member of ISTA (International Schools’ Theatre Association) and attended a festival in Oman in 2017 and expect to attend the next one in Bahrain in 2018. The school also regularly works with other Abu Dhabi schools (BSAK and BISAD) to participate in joint workshops.

Students are encouraged to study for Trinity and ABRSM examinations for Music.  From September 2017, LAMDA will be available for Drama students and weekend Ballet training will be offered by a Royal Academy of Dance school (enabling participation in RAD exams).

At a glance:

Dance Drama Music
Number of staff 1 3 5  (+ peripatetic)
Grade/year groups taught Years 5-11, part of core curriculum.

FS1 to Year 3 as part of external ECA programme.

Years 3-9 – core subject with one hour lesson weekly;

Years 10-11 IGCSE Drama option;

Years 12-13 – to be offered as 6th Form expands.

FS1–Year 2 – core subject with two half hours lessons weekly;

Years 3-9 – core subject with a weekly one hour lesson

Years 10-11 IGCSE Music option;

Year 12-13 – to be offered as 6th Form expands.

Instruments are taught as part of the core curriculum n/a n/a Ocarina, Recorder, Xylophone, Ukulele and Keyboard.

From year 7, Garage Band (ICT) for composition.

External Examinations RAD from September 2017 LAMDA from September 2017 ABRSM, Trinity

 

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Lis ONeal

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