Cab

Calloway

School Of The Arts

Cab Calloway School

Information

Cab Calloway School of the Arts 100 N. Dupont Road Wilmington, DE 19807	Telephone: (302) 651-2700	Dean Julie Rumschlag	Assistant Dean Joe Hocking	Assistant Dean Will Robinson

What used to be Wilmington High School is now the arts school we know and love as Cab Calloway School of the Arts. Cab Calloway name came from a Jazz scat singer that became famous in the 1930's, offering superior education in the arts areas of: theatre, vocal music, visual arts, communication arts, technical theatre, strings, instrumental (band and piano), and dance in addition to regular academic classes. Cab Calloway School has been able to successfully combine the arts and academics for a well rounded, creative, and unique curriculum many schools don't offer. Being in this environment creates critically thinking and independent students. The school continues to celebrate art and creativity as Cab Calloway did throughout his lifetime through the school's performances, art galleries, plays, concerts, and more.

CCSA was established in fall of 1992 as a middle school, and in 1997 was expanded to a high school as well. The first senior class graduated in June of 2000. The school has recently participated in the Middle States program, is number two in the state, is the thirty-second magnet school in the nation, and is listed as a top high school nationally in the US News and World Report! This year the school is celebrating the schools 20th year of stellar arts and education.

Cab Calloway wanted to share his passion for the arts with everyone, and he loved the idea of being able to teach kids at a young age about these different art areas. Opening a school that embraces art and creativity was the perfect way to do so. A few Red Clay parents, teachers, and Cab's daughter Cabella Calloway (the board chairman) pitched the idea to the Delaware State Board of Education for a creative and performing arts middle school in Delaware in 1992. No one had anticipated for the school to work, but there was extra money, and Wilmington High School had their last graduating class in 1999, so the building was empty. There were no desks, there weren't even any books, so they built up the school from scratch.

To everyone's surprise, the school flourished. The school worked because it is based it upon the idea of young students being introduced to different forms of education, rather than standard paper and pencil methods. The school recognized that every child has a different learning style, and by linking it to academics, you can embrace their learning style, and they'll comprehend better. Discipline, creativity, enthusiasm, passion of the arts carries over to academics well, because you're used to reaching for perfection. Arts and academics fit hand in hand. A premier arts school was born, and the Board of Education asked if they could name the school after the iconic Cab Calloway himself. Cab was very excited about this. As Cabella said: "Most museums and monuments are dedicated to people who are dead, but he was still alive to actually see his legacy to go on."

Career Pathway

Digital Media

	The Digital Media class opens students up to the world of electronic media. Through the use of Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and other graphic software and programs, students have the ability to use their imagination and creativity to explore different aspects of technology such as web design, logo design and branding, newspaper and magazine publication and layout creation, typography, and more. This class also offers students the opportunity to be eligible for a career pathway Adobe certification that will prepare them for a job in the digital realm.
	Cinema Studies not only gives students the fundamental training to work various cameras and rigs, but it also allows them to develop an appreciation for the art of film-making. Students get to explore setting up lights and using sounds for their own videos, learning the different shot studies, writing and storyboarding a script, as well as turning that script into their very own full-length film, created by cinema students and acted in by Cab's drama department.
	As well as Cinema Studies, Photography also allows students to receive the basic and fundamental training on how to work a camera. This class not only teaches digital photography but also film photography and shows students how they can develop their own negatives in Cab's very own darkroom. Students will learn different photographic styles and techniques as well as learning the history of photography and photographers to truly grasp an understanding of photography and to appreciate the art of it.


	Over the past two years, two cinema students made a movie. Not just a shakily shot, mediocre quality film, but a feature length movie. Jonah Green and Sam Katz created "Insight," a film starring Green as Eli as he recounts the eerie story of his summer, in which he learned about rapid induction hypnosis from his mysterious neighbor. This movie has over 30,000 views on YouTube, has been shown in both Wilmington and Florida theaters, and has propelled these two boys into rapid success. The MutantBoyfriend Productions website was created by student, Reilly Megee.

Arts Pathways

	Before Dance Majors get to show off their moves on stage, an immense amount of work goes on in Cab's dance studios. This major focuses on teaching and training in different dance techniques. Dancers are instructed on different levels throughout the years to structure their learning and allow them to continuously improve. Students also get to study the history of dance. Many shows and performances here at Cab include our talented dancers and showcase their hard work and creativity.
	The Vocal Music Department introduces students to the fundamentals of singing and ear training. It teaches them proper vocal techniques and the different elements of music. Students will be exposed to a variety of music genres and sing in different languages, all to hone their talents and expand their range of experience. Students are also offered many opportunities to join different choruses that sing at concerts, gigs, and many other events. The Jazz Chords of Calloway and the musical theater group are among the many renowned groups within this pathway.
	The Visual Arts department is the best in the area, offering students expert instruction and creative direction. Starting with the elements and principles of design, artists build on that foundation to become proficient in many areas of art, from painting, to print making, to charcoal. The glass art gallery in CCSA's lobby, when it's not housing national art exhibits, showcases students' work.

	The Theatre Arts program is a wonderful pathway to choose. Students who have an interest in theatre take these classes and grow immensely in their talent and their love for the art. The program gives them all the basics to help them and provide a platform if they choose to pursue a theatrical career in the future. Students are taught different acting techniques, how to direct, the different methods of character development and more. They also get to show of their talents in many different performances and shows here at Cab. Better get your tickets before the show sells out!
	The Instrumental Music Department teaches students music composition, the history of musicians, and gives students an outlet to express themselves through the playing of instruments. It offers young musicians a variety of genre choices, including strings and steel drums. If a student expresses a particular interest, they'll have no trouble finding a music group that both includes it and excels in it. Most instrumental students join and enjoy being members of Cab Calloway's Chapter 9 Champions Marching Band.
	The Communication Arts Department is devoted to and designed for students who would like to explore and learn the different types of writing. From poetry, to fiction, to romantic, students get to study all of the different aspects of writing and get to pour their creativity out on paper. Writers are given the opportunity to share and present their work to programs such as the Scholastics Art and Writing Awards and a student-run literary magazine. They will leave the course having a better understand of the development and process of writing, bound to help them in future years.