Performing Arts
Oak Grove is proud to offer a wide array of performing arts opportunities for students of all ages. Starting as early as kindergarten, students can participate, growing their confidence and performance abilities.
Elementary Art: Grades K – 5
Art class is taught to all elementary students. These classes serve as an introduction to basic artistic concepts, techniques and mediums. Students not only think critically, but also learn to express themselves through a variety of ways.
Middle School Art: Grades 6 – 8
Middle School art is offered for two quarters on a semester basis. Middle school students further develop their understanding of artistic concepts, their skills, and creativity.
Art Foundations – Intro to Art: Grades 9-12
An introduction and exploratory course in various mediums and art movements. Units include drawing, painting, mixed media and 3D work. Mediums will include pencil, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylics, clay and other forms of 3D building materials. Students will refine their skills through working in sketchbooks. This course is recommended as your first art course.
Introduction to Ceramics: Grades 9 – 12
An introductory ceramic course that will provide students with insight into the history and application of ceramics as a functional and expressive medium. The course will be divided into hand building and wheel throwing. Each student will get a chance to create on the wheel. 12 students will be accepted into each semester, so each person gets a turn on the wheel.
Ceramics 2: Grades 10-12
An advanced Ceramic course that will give students the opportunity to strengthen their ceramics skills. The course will be divided into hand building processes, wheel throwing, and artist research. Students will have the opportunity to propose their focus in each of these areas to allow for more creative and customized focus in the art of ceramics.
Painting: Grades 10-12
Students will put into practice the many techniques of painting. Students will learn about various art history movements and create their own interpretation of the art periods. Students will utilize the mediums acrylic, watercolor, oil, and mixed mediums. Students will refine their skills through working in sketchbooks.
Digital Photography & Design: Grades 10-12
Students will become skilled at the technical aspect of taking photos with a digital camera. They will demonstrate an understanding of editing photos. They will become educated in the basics of photographic history and contemporary practice. Students will begin to see the world around them and represent it.
Grover Chimes: Grades 4-5
Director: Emily Wittkop
Grover Chimes is an elective program where students learn to play hand chimes and perform at the Elementary School concerts and programs.
Concert Band: Grades 6-12
Director: John Juhl
This course includes the fundamentals of musicianship, small group and full band performance. Class activities include playing music written for band from a wide range of musical eras, sight reading, terminology study, scales and exercises, and listening to recorded performances. Various public performances will occur during the school year. Composition projects will occur as time allows.The Concert Band meets during an academic class period. They perform two major concerts each year, the Christmas Concert and Spring Concert, and arrange smaller community performances throughout the school year. The band takes a spring tour every other year—see the Band Tour section listed under Travel Opportunities.
Pep Band: Grades 9-12
Director: John Juhl
Students play at athletic events and pep rallies throughout the school year.
Brass Ensemble: Grades 9-12
Director: John Juhl
Percussion Ensemble: Grades 9-12
Director: John Juhl
Grover Choir Squad: Grades 4-5
Director: Emily Wittkop
The Grover Choir Squad is an elective 4th and 5th grade choir that performs locally throughout the year and at the Elementary School concerts and programs.
Middle School Choir: Grades 6-8
Director: Seth Brandl
Middle school choir takes place during a class period. Students perform multiple times per year.
Concert Choir: Grades 9 -12
Director: Seth Brandl
This course provides for the advanced study of vocal music through group performance. Opportunities for solos are offered but not required. There is an emphasis on tuning, blending, dynamics, phrasing, and critical listening skills including awareness of the overtone series. The choir meets during an academic class period and performs four major concerts throughout the year (Homecoming Concert, Christmas Concert, Tour Home Concert, and the Spring Music Festival). Members of the Concert Choir are ambassadors of Oak Grove and perform a few times each year throughout the community (Fargo Country Club Kiwani’s Christmas Luncheon, First Lutheran Lenten Service, etc.). This choir takes an annual 8-10 day spring tour – see the Concert Choir Tour section listed under Travel Opportunities.
Carolers: Grades 9-12
Director: Seth Brandl
Dressed in traditional, historic caroler costumes, the Carolers perform during the holiday season at a variety of locations and local events such as luncheons, churches, Bonanzaville, and West Acres Mall. They are also featured at the annual high school Christmas Concert.
Theatre Arts: Grades K-12
Director: Scott Brusven
The Oak Grove Theatre Department boasts a robust season featuring four productions for grades K-12. The theatre offers opportunities for everyone. Students can participate in many aspects of the theatre ranging from acting, set design & construction, lighting & sound design, hair & makeup, and costume design.
One Act: Grades 9-12
Director: Scott Brusven
This course will teach an introduction to dramatic performance using a one-act play as the base of character development. Students will go through audition workshops geared for dramatic and humorous character performance. They will then audition for the roles in the one act. We will use this class to not only create a top notch one-act play but also dive deep into the art of character creation. Class participants will also present the One-Act Play at the Region 2 One Act Competition. Upon the conclusion of the competition, students will engage in classroom work to further their development of performance through actives, monologues, and script analysis.
Technical Theater & Design: Grades 9-12
Director: Scott Brusven
Students in this course will learn the hands-on skills of planning, drawing, cutting, building and painting techniques by creating theatrical sets for the stage. This class will start with shop safety and move into the creative design, drawing, drafting and building process for theatre set designs. Technical Theatre & Design will also teach students the basics of sound and light design, as well as take students down the creative design process for sets, costumes, hair & make-up for theatre productions.
