Westinghouse Arts Academy Charter School

Westinghouse Arts Academy is a tuition free, creative and performing arts high school, for grades 9 through 12. Each day, students are able to immerse themselves in their chosen art form with other like-minded students, achieving artistic and academic excellence through a personalized approach tailored to their individual needs. We also encourage the importance of individuality, excellence, self-responsibility, as well as problem solving, divergent and autonomous thinking. Additionally, Westinghouse Arts Academy strives to make a positive change in Wilmerding and the surrounding area by being a catalyst for economic and community development through the arts.

The Westinghouse Arts Academy Dance Department dance majors are some of the most dedicated, disciplined and passionate students you will meet. They will work themselves to the bone to reach their goals and are relentless in their pursuit of excellence in their craft.

Our dancers are inducted on a yearly basis into National Honors Society for Dance Arts. Our school’s chapter is led by Tracey Casciato, Head of the Dance Department. NHSDA is “a program of the National Dance Education Organization whose mission is to recognize outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance and to foster an appreciation for dance as a true art form.” Many WAA dance majors plan to pursue dance professionally and study dance at the post-secondary level, and they have the capacity to do so successfully. Some of our Westinghouse dance department graduates are already pursuing dance on scholarships at Point Park University and Seton Hill University.

Last year, Stephanie Tolbert-King, Dance Faculty, organized a field trip for our dancers to National High School Dance Festival, “the largest dance festival in the U.S. showcasing excellence in high school dance since 1992.” The event was hosted by Point Park University, where our dance majors had the opportunity to take master classes from dance professionals from all over the world, attend a college recruitment fair, and experience what it would be like to study dance at various universities. Our dance majors attended scholarship auditions where they earned a combined $100,000 in scholarships at various universities and summer programs around the country. Tolbert-King's piece Pursuance, set on advanced dance majors, was accepted for National High School Dance Festival’s highly competitive adjudicated gala performance at the historic Byham Theatre. These WAA dance majors received excellent feedback from the festival’s adjudicators, which was a reflection of their own hard work.

Currently, the WAA Dance Department has several opportunities planned to give dance majors the chance to deepen their knowledge of dance as an art form and learn more about pursuing a career in dance or a related field. These potential opportunities include master workshops from college dance professors and renowned choreographers, field trips, and quality costumes at our various performances.

GOAL BREAKDOWN:

Two educational field trips for 11th and 12th grade students on the dance major track:

Meals: $1,200

Travel: $2,600

Hotel: 4,000

Dance Substitute Teachers: $1,000

Registration: $1,250

**Total: $10,050

**Goal Date: February 1st, 2024

Master workshops for students in the dance department:

**Total: $2,000 - master workshops

**Goal Date: February 1st, 2024

Performance costumes:

**Total: $3,000 - Spring Dance Concert

**Goal Date: April 1st, 2024

Additional enrichment opportunities for the dance department and start-up funds for the 2024-2025 school year:

**Total: $5,000

**Goal Date: April 1st, 2024

Please see the links and events below for demonstrated excellence in dance at Westinghouse Arts Academy!

LINKS: