Visual & Performing Arts
Arts at the International School of Dakar are a fundamental part of our holistic approach to learning. The past two years have seen extraordinary growth in the Arts department with more students becoming involved during and after school with more teaching staff devoted solely to teaching the arts, and new state-of-the-art facilities to allow further exploration.
All students from PK3 through to grade 10 have art classes, which depending on division include drama, music, movement, dance, photography, graphic arts, painting, sculpting, printing, drawing and filmmaking. In grades 11 and 12, students are allowed to choose their IB Arts classes; we currently have robust IBDP offerings in Theatre, Film and Visual Arts.
Through our co-curricular program at ISD, students get to delve deeper into the arts by performing in the annual musical or play, one of the many dance shows, learning to make musical beats with our tech specialist, the festival of short plays, ISD’s winter or spring concerts, or even at WAISAL band.
The SW Theater
ISD believes that a meaningful arts education is necessary for our students. It will be a career for some but for others, the arts are the vehicle through which students can meaningfully process our world, understand other cultures, think critically, and be lifelong creative adults. All of these skills are necessary for 21st Century adults to thrive.
Creative Spaces
Within ISD include two full art studios, an IBDP Visual Art annexe, a media lab for film students, a Makerspace for design technology, a drama studio, a dance studio, two band areas, a black box, and a custom theatre recently named the "Suzanne Wardini Theater" (SWT) after one of our longest serving staff member.