At ECFS, we welcome students into a creative community that spans all four divisions. Through their involvement in the performing arts — music, theatre, and dance — every Eagle has countless opportunities to express their creative side, developing skills that will serve them in any career or life path they choose.
Our youngest students at Ethical Culture and Fieldston Lower build a connection to the performing arts through collaboration inside the classroom and joyful community events. Many Ethical Culture graduates count the student-written 4th Grade play as one of their fondest memories, and Fieldston Lower students have been singing their school song, “A Place in the World,” at assemblies for years!
Fieldston Middle students use the performing arts to develop their rapidly evolving academic and social skills. As they play complex rhythms, sing in harmony, choreograph their peers, and support each other as scene partners, students also learn to analyze patterns, dive deeply into comprehending a text, and empathize with others.
When students arrive at Fieldston Upper, many have the chance to deepen their creative practice by taking on leadership roles as playwrights, choreographers, and directors. Noa S. ’25 considers the Theatre and Dance Department as an essential factor in her growth, remarking, “Fieldston theatre has pushed me out of my comfort zone and given me the space and support to explore my creativity both onstage and in the classroom.”
Whether it’s a project building instruments out of cardboard, taking to the stage at the Spring Dance Concert for a senior solo, or even returning as an alum playwright, ECFS students exemplify what an empowering and experiential performing arts curriculum looks like.
This story was originally published in the June 2025 edition of the ECFS Reporter.
