The Arts

In keeping with our desire to inform the whole child, AISK celebrates the creative spirit in all of us by including an arts education in the curriculum of every grade. Throughout their years at AISK, our students embrace a richness of creative expression in visual arts, music, dance, and drama. Through this holistic education, students learn in greater depth about personal expression, cultural diversity, representation, and community.

Meet the Creative Arts Team

I am inspired to tap into the ‘gateway’ children have to a world of unlimited imagination. Children love to ‘Free draw’ where all the stories inside come tumbling out as visual images. I am grateful to be in a position that helps to foster a continued appreciation of its value. I began teaching at AISK in August 2006 and currently teach Elementary Art from EYP - Grade 5.

I am a Graduate in Fine Arts- Painting- from The Edna Manley School of the Visual and Performing Arts and I have a Masters Degree in Art Education from Ohio State University.

I initially came to AISK to fill in for an art teacher who unavoidably had to leave due to an emergency. During that first year I taught Kindergarten to Grade 12. I quickly realized I wanted to focus on teaching Art to the Elementary students, so when I was asked to continue teaching at AISK I gradually and happily transitioned to that specific role.

I am appreciative and impressed with the investment AISK puts into the Arts which includes the working space we are given, the budget for materials, as well as the showcasing of the student’s work. I am inspired to teach Art because I have observed that the Arts, both Visual and Performing, are a natural language that children use to express themselves even before beginning formal education. I am also inspired to teach a subject that is constantly engaged with creative thinking.

From the early years, children have an ease and familiarity with drawing, painting, movement, singing, make believe drama - all of which gives them access to their inner world without much direction from adults, and helps to anchor a healthy interior space.

An interesting fact about me is that I am a twin. Art and Yoga are my favorite hobbies.

AISK is an inspiring community that prepares young people for the future and makes room for students to develop their collaborative, creative and communication skills.

The reason I love working at AISK is that we understand that music education and the rich musical culture of Jamaica can play an exciting role in that! I aim to design opportunities for our students to grow as human beings, develop musical skills, and become confident and creative members of a colourful society.

The diversity of the school as well as the culture of inclusion and the attitude that ANYTHING is possible is what drew me to AISK. I joined the school in August 2021 as the dance teacher. Since being here I have met a faculty of teachers who truly care about students and their learning, and teachers who simply embody and exude positivity, even in a difficult time.

I have been dancing since age 4; taking after-school dance at the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts as well as the then-called Tony Wilson School of Modern Dance (now The CDT School). At age 13, I became the youngest dancer to become a member of The Company Dance Theatre with whom I danced for the next 12 years. While dancing in Jamaica I was pursuing a Medical degree at the University of the West Indies, but upon completion moved to New York City to pursue a career in my true passion; dance. I continued to study dance at the Ailey School before being invited to perform with the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Afterwards I went on to become principal dancer at Garth Fagan Dance, where I spent 6 years touring, performing and teaching with the company and its affiliated school. I’ve taught dance residencies throughout the boroughs of New York City, as well as master-classes and workshops across the US, in parts of Europe and throughout the Caribbean. I am excited to bring my passion for dance and love for teaching to the AISK community.

The joy I see in children's faces when they get a step or perform a dance for others, as well as the shifts I see in a child’s confidence and self-esteem as they become more proficient in dance truly inspires me to teach.

I am also the new artistic director of the dance company CDT and it’s affiliated dance school - The CDT School.

Visual Arts

Each division supports exploration of a variety of visual art media, including painting, graphic design, and structural sculpture. Students are also inspired to draw media from their surroundings, using recycled materials, found items, and natural components to create their masterpieces. This helps them think elastically, and creates critical thinking skills around improvisation, sustainability, and resourcefulness.

Dance

Our students enjoy a variety of opportunities for dance, allowing them to experiment with physical expression, visual engagement, movement, and rhythm. In elementary grades, children are encouraged to find joy in movement, first to build spatial awareness, then to mitigate and direct falls and tumbles, culminating in the fundamentals of dance. As the program continues, students learn more about specific dance techniques, explore fashion, and delve into the history of dance, including learning traditional dances from many cultures.

Music

Similar to another language, musical expression is a form of intense communication. Students explore rhythm, improvisation on a theme, instrumentation, and expression through mood and tone. In addition to the musical program built into the AISK education, students may also choose to participate in Music Theory, IB Music, extra-curricular music, and ensemble music starting in grade 2.

Drama

Drama requires a strong awareness of self, physical and emotional self-control, and clear communication—all traits we seek to instill in our students. Through performance, direction, and production, drama presents students a way to view their own experience, and to challenge their perceptions.