The Juilliard - Nord Anglia Performing Arts Program at the MET

Nord Anglia Education stands as an example of an institution that understands the invaluable role of the Arts in shaping well-rounded individuals. In 2015, Nord Anglia embarked on a transformative journey by collaborating with the globally acclaimed Performing Arts institution, The Juilliard School.

This partnership created the Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme, which has since redefined how the Arts are integrated into school curricula and enriched the learning experiences of countless students worldwide.

Empowering Educators through Juilliard's Approach
For our school, the Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme marked a milestone in the school year 2020-2021, enabling our Performing Arts teachers to undergo comprehensive training and professional development in the Juilliard Approach to K-12 Classroom Instruction.

Rooted in five fundamental values, this approach lays the foundation for a holistic and immersive Arts education:
1. Success for All: The program fosters inclusivity, ensuring that every student's creative and artistic abilities are ignited.
2. Active and Exploratory Learning: Students engage in hands-on experiences that encourage exploration and application of artistic skills and concepts.
3. Igniting Creativity: By offering artistic experiences that nurture individual creative voices, students are inspired to think and work imaginatively.
4. Inquiry and Reflection: Encouraging students to embrace ambiguity, question, investigate, and problem-solve enhances their metacognitive skills.
5. Meaningful Encounters: High-quality dance, drama, and music works, referred to as Core Works, expose students to the richness of artistic expression across genres and cultures.

The Juilliard Creative Classroom
Integral to the Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme is the Juilliard Creative Classroom—an online repository of educational resources that meld contemporary research, innovative educational methodologies, and the artistic treasures of The Juilliard School. This platform is designed to cultivate creativity, rigorous thinking, and artistic excellence through its focus on Core Works from various genres, historical periods, and cultures.

Incorporating the Juilliard Creative Classroom
At the MET, our Performing Arts teachers integrate the Juilliard Creative Classroom resources into Elementary and Secondary classes. The collaborative efforts among our educators involve vertical alignment and the incorporation of Juilliard materials to augment the existing Arts curricula. This dynamic integration enhances the learning journey and encourages students to engage deeply with the arts.

From Dance to Drama to Music: Exploring Core Works
Across disciplines, the Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme shapes engaging experiences for students. In Dance class, students explore dramatic expression through iconic choreography such as Martha Graham's Appalachian Spring. Drama class introduces them to the art of oral narrative and storytelling, while Music class delves into the world of diverse musical styles and periods, from Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" to Schubert's Lieder.

Our Juilliard Curriculum Specialists
Central to the success of the Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme are the three Juilliard Curriculum Specialists assigned to the MET—Jen Shirley (Drama), Salla Saarikangas (Dance), and Stephen Dunn (Music). These specialists work closely with our teachers, fostering collaboration, and aiding the development of the school's Performing Arts departments.

Through a mix of virtual and in-person visits, these specialists conduct class observations, teaching demonstrations, masterclasses, and ongoing professional development sessions for our Performing Arts teachers. This partnership not only enhances pedagogical approaches but also strengthens our entire educational ecosystem.

Take a look at last year’s sessions with teachers, students and parents:

The Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme, with its immersive approach, innovative resources, and expert collaboration, serves as a beacon of inspiration, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and artistic excellence among students. As this partnership continues to evolve, the future holds even more for empowering generations to come through the transformative power of the Arts.