FINE ARTS

The Fine Arts department is an integral part of SHABACH Christian Academy. Through Shabach’s Fine Arts Department, a variety of credited electives including Music, Dance, Photography and Art are offered. Through these classes, students have the opportunity to utilize their God-given talents and allow their hearts and minds to be open to new passions and purposes God may have for their lives. The goal is to expose students to as many genres of each categorized art form through a historical, classical, Biblical, and social approach.

Each art form has ministry opportunities as students display their abilities during the annual Christmas and Easter Productions , Black History Heritage and Fine Arts Concerts/Recitals and other venues. Performance opportunities are available school-wide and those enrolled in Fine Arts classes receive performance grades. Students are also encouraged to embrace the fine arts components and resources available to them through annual visits to the Kennedy Center or by auditioning for the newly formed SHABACH! Total Praise Ensemble.

Exposure to the arts produces well-rounded children who are able to creatively face academic and social issues. Students who participate in Fine Arts electives are trained to have a firm understanding that worship was created by God and that music, drama, dance, art, and photography are mediums to express that love and adoration back to the Lord.

Fine Arts Courses Offered

General Music (K- 8th Grades):
Students are given a full scope of the classical, spiritual and historical aspects of music as they learn theory, diction, memorization, melody and history. Students also learn rhythm through use of the piano and the recorder. 7th and 8th grade students conduct in-depth projects on musical composers as well as gain understanding on how music has influenced today’s culture.

Elementary school students (Grades K-4th) build on their knowledge of music concepts, reading music, performing and celebrational music, while also adding a musical instrument -- the recorder. Listening maps and authentic sound recordings help students learn about tone color, expressive qualities and cultural context. Each student also completes a unit general music project. Elementary music students will have the musical foundation needed to continue with the fine art requirements of middle school.

The middle school music program centers its program around advanced music and performance skills. Students explore various musical styles such as folk songs, marches and spiritual music, while they learn to take responsibility for their practice, work habits and performance.

Middle school students will have a firm grasp on:

Music reading and vocabulary
Tone quality
Articulation
Critical listening and evaluation

Drama (4th-8th Grades):

Students memorize and learn monologues, write short plays, learn about historical events, analyze dramatic plays and are given opportunities to perform in and outside of the classroom setting generally for Christmas and Easter productions.

Dance (K-8th Grades):
Students are taught body awareness (proper alignment), dance composition (the art of choreography and performance), the history of dance as well as ballet, modern, and liturgical dance forms.

We also offer enrichment experiences in

Art and Photography.

Terry E. Carter, DANCE DIRECTOR is a born again spirit-filled believer with a passion for the gift that God has entrusted to her. Her relationship with God and the time spent in His presence is evident as the anointing accompanies her. She is a Washington, DC. native and graduate of the Duke Ellington School of Performing Arts. She is an ordained Elder, has a Bachelors Degree, and a Masters Degree in Dance.

Terry's dance career highlights include: Founder/Director, Chariots of Praise Dance Studio and Company; 30 years experience of both formal and instructional dance; Everyman Street Theater under the direction of Mike Malone and the Duke Ellington School of Arts; Former member of the Joan Kerr, Rita Jones, Emmanuel Ensemble, Spirit Wings, and Philadelphia Dance Companies; Director of Choreography - Evangel Cathedral; Director of Choreography - Revival Temple Full Gospel Church Liturgical Dancers/ Drama Ministry; Physical Fitness Director/Dance Worship Leader for Sister Strengthening Sister Women’s Organization; Affiliated with the National Liturgical Dance Ministry and International Christian Artists Network; Director of Dance - Faith Fellowship of Churches International; Choreographer/Mentor - Mt. Olivet Baptist Church Dance Ministry, Petersburg VA; R&R Ministries ,Ocala FL, and others.

She has performed and worked with numerous groups & notable professionals such as: Debbie Allen, Stephen Hurd, Richard Smallwood, Vickie Winans, Vanessa Williams, Lecresea Campbell, Marvin Sapp & other acclaimed artists.

Our MUSIC DIRECTOR Brandon Felder is a multifaceted musician and passionate educator. Felder earned his undergraduate degree from Howard University in Music Education and Master's Degree from University of Maryland College Park in Music Education where his thesis project was published.

Felder previously served as Performing Arts Department Chair at Largo High School where the program earned distinctions such as 2015 GRAMMY® Signature School Award Semifinalist, 2016 GRAMMY® Grant Recipient and 2017 NAMM® Music Merit School Awardee. Felder was also executive producer for the Largo High School Choir album project "Rejoice!" (November 2017) and made history as the first high school to reach #7 on Billboard Gospel Music Charts and presented a CD release concert at the Kennedy Center for 1150 attendees (December 2017).

Felder actively serves within the community, through his private piano instructional studio and has served the sacred music community holding posts at Metropolitan Baptist Church, Alfred Street Baptist Church, Reid Temple AME Church, Woodstream Church and First Baptist Church of Glenarden.

Felder is a Governor on the GRAMMY Recording Academy Washington DC Chapter Board and serves as the Education Committee Chairperson on the GRAMMY Board. Felder has been blessed with the opportunity to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra, Shania Twain, the late Marvin Hamlisch, Richard Smallwood, Walter and Edwin Hawkins, and many others. Felder performed for President Barack Obama, President George W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Ambassador Bonnie McElveen-Hunter and Oprah Winfrey and served as musical director for the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia for Black History Month (February 2013).