New World School of the Arts (NWSA) is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

magnet A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nicke ...

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

and

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ...

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

. Its dual-enrollment programs in the visual and performing arts are organized into four strands:

visual arts The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile art ...

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

(comprising programs in

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

and

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

), and music (comprising programs in

instrumental music An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instrum ...

and

vocal music Vocal music is a type of singing performed by one or more singers, either with instrumental accompaniment, or without instrumental accompaniment (a cappella), in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but d ...

). The New World School of the Arts was a pioneer in dual-enrollment education, arising out of an experiment between Miami Northwestern High School and Dade Community College (now

Miami Dade College Miami Dade College (Miami Dade, MDC or Dade) is a public college in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1959, it has a total of eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers throughout Miami-Dade County. It is the largest college in the Florida College S ...

). NWSA was formally created as an outcome of that experiment by the 1986 New World School of the Arts Act of the Florida State Legislature as "a center of excellence for the performing and visual art",1986 Florida Statutes, 204.535 New World School of the Arts with the stated intention "that specific attention be given to the needs of artistically talented high school students who are occupationally oriented to the arts." The school is jointly administered by

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is a public school district serving Miami-Dade County in the U.S. state of Florida. Founded in 1885, it is the largest school district in Florida and the Southeastern United States, and, , the fourth la ...

, and the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

. The administrative structure includes an executive board with representatives from each of the partners as well as community seats and a foundation board. The school awards an

Associate of Arts An associate degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of qualification above a high school diploma, GED, or matriculation, and below a bachelor's degree. The fi ...

degree from Miami Dade College,

Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases. Background The Bachel ...

and

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of pre ...

degrees from the

, and a high school degree from the Miami Dade County schools. Admissions into the high school are through the Miami Dade Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program, requiring an audition and/or portfolio (see High School Admissions). New World High School is rated #149 in the national rankings for best high schools, #17 in rankings for best Florida high schools and #42 magnet schools in accordance with the 2018 '' U.S. News & World Report''. In 2009, NWSA was 82nd in this ranking. Both the college and the high school are accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

History

The vision of PAVAC (Performing and Visual Arts Center) was to integrate Miami Northwestern High School and provide high-quality arts training for students in Dade County. The original PAVAC director (1975) was Jackie (last name unknown), with Dr. Everett Abney serving as principal. At that time, Ms. Samiento served as an art teacher and Charlie Austin as music instructor. Later, Samiento took over as director when Jackie relocated out of state. In the early days of PAVAC, Irene Fox was the Modern Dance instructor and Shelley Fox (recommended by Carrie Meek) was hired as the ballet instructor-choreographer. After Irene Fox left the program, Shelley Fox continued to recruit students from Dade County Public Schools. She developed a high quality ballet program and performing company. The PAVAC program provided students with busing from their local high school to Miami Northwestern for the afternoon arts classes. The PAVAC Dancers performed at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, at locations on Miami Beach, Florida state conferences and festivals, and on local TV stations. The highlight of the program was the premier of Richard Strauss' original ballet ''Death and Transfiguration'' at Miami Dade Jr. College North. At that time, the PAVAC ballet program was the only department that successfully integrated Miami Northwestern High School. Kendell Bently-Baker, inspired by the academic success of that program, and attempting to take greater advantage of the facilities and faculty of

(MDC), then known as Miami Dade Community College, proposed the creation of a dual-enrollment school of the arts: morning academics were to be at the student's home high school; in the afternoon students were to be bussed to one of the two MDCC campuses for classes in art or the performing arts. Upon high school graduation, the student received a diploma from the home high school and college credits for the art classes, awarded through MDC. In summer 1982, county auditions were held for 10th–12th graders. In fall 1982, two dual-enrollment PAVACs opened, one at the North Campus of MDCC, "PAVAC North", headed by Kendell Bently-Baker; the other at the South Campus of MDCC (now called the Kendall Campus), "PAVAC South", headed by Richard Janaro and Margaret Pelton. Marcy Samiento continued to serve as DCPS coordinator. At that time, many Miami-Dade high schools served only 10th–12th grade. The first PAVAC dual-enrollment graduates were in 1983. The Miami Northwestern High School program continued as before the creation of PAVAC, and is currently among the PVA (performing and visual arts) magnet programs in the Miami-Dade County school system. In 1984, Marcy Sarmiento, Kandell Bentley-Baker and Richard Janaro were asked to plan a successor school to PAVAC. Knowing they would need approval from the Florida Legislature they enlisted civic leader and lobbyist Seth Gordon to join them. Gordon was later elected to serve as the first chair of the Executive Board of the school and served in that capacity for six years. They studied other arts schools in the country, visiting LaGuardia High School,

Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

and the

North Carolina School of the Arts The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is an arts school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governo ...

. A bill creating the "South Florida School of the Arts" passed the Florida House of Representatives on May 30, 1984. Soon afterwards, the New World name was chosen as part of larger plans for urban and cultural development which included the eponymous New World Symphony Orchestra, and to avoid confusion with the Florida School of the Arts. The Florida legislature passed the "New World School of the Arts Act" in 1986. The NWSA opened its doors in fall 1987. The continuing students at PAVAC's North and South transitioned into NWSA, as did many of PAVAC's faculty. NWSA issued its first high school diploma in 1988 to the former PAVAC students. NWSA enrolled its first freshman college students in 1988. In order to award a BFA, it partnered with

Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Miami-Dade County. Founded in 1965, the school opened its doors to students in 1972. FIU has grown to become the third-largest university in Florid ...

(FIU). On January 12, 1994

replaced FIU in this partnership. The first graduating class of the college was in 1992. Later the high school expanded to include 9th grade.

Administration

The combined administration of the high school and college consists of a provost, under which are four deans and a principal. The Principal oversees the high school and high school academics, and Deans oversee each of the four strands, Dance, Music, Theater and Visual Arts, for both the high school and the college. There is an executive board of directors for the school, as well as a foundation board to direct the NWSA Foundation.

Provost

Richard A. Klein was hired away from being the principal of the LaGuardia High School to be the founding provost of NWSA. In April 1994 the executive board reduced Richard Klein's contract to one year and began looking for a replacement. D. Hansen became interim provost for the 1995-96 school year, replaced by Bennett Lentczner, who served until 1999. Several provosts have served since then. Since the 2009 school year, Dr. Jeffrey Hodgson has been provost.

Principal

Alan Weiss was the founding principal. Since then, principals have been: Mandy Offerle, 1989–1993; Ellery Brown, 1993 until retirement in 2007; Dr. Frederic Conde, 2007–2010; Lisa S. Noffo, 2010–2012; Evonne Alvarez 2012–2018; Jason Allen, 2018 - 2020; Contessa Bryant 2021-Present. .

Dean of Dance

Daniel Lewis was the founding Dean of Dance of NWSA. Daniel Lewis retired for the 2011 school year. The current Dean of Dance is Mary Lisa Burns.

Dean of Music

John de Lancie was the director of Philadelphia's famed

Curtis Institute of Music The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia. It offers a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in opera, and a Professional Studies Certificate in opera. All students attend on full scholarship. Hi ...

before becoming the founding Dean at New World. He submitted his resignation in December 1991 but rescinded it that same month, then resigned definitively in September 1992. He was replaced by Willie Anthony Waters, principal conductor of the Greater Miami Opera. Waters was replaced in August 1993 with Balint Vazsonyi, who was asked to resign in September 1994. Since then the position has been filled by: Tallulah Brown, 1994–95; Karl Kramer, 1995–97; Roby George, 1997–98; Mark Camphouse, 1998–99; Dennis Prime, 1999–2002; Jeffrey Hodgson, 2002-2009; Jim Gasior, 2009-2012; and Milton Ruben Laufer 2012-2014. The current Dean of Music is Daniel Andai, an alumnus of NWSA Music Division. He was appointed in summer 2014.

Dean of Theater

Dr. Richard Paul Janaro agreed to serve as acting Dean of Theater at the school's inception. Jorge Guerra Castro became Dean of Theater in 1988, and Dr. Janaro assumed the role of Assistant Dean of Theater. In 2002 Patrice Bailey took over from Castro, however she retired in 2022 and has since been replaced by Alan Patrick Kenny.

Dean of Visual Arts

The founding Dean of Visual Arts was Ed Love. Since then, the deans have been:

Mel Alexenberg Mel Alexenberg (born February 24, 1937) is an American-Israeli artist, art educator, and writer recognized for his pioneering work exploring the intersections of art, science, technology and digital culture. He created the first digital computer ...

, 1990–2000; Louise Romeo, 2000–2005; Maggy Cuesta, 2005–2019; John Slepian 2019–2020; Gustavo Plascencia, 2020–present.

Campus

The school's main building is located at 25 NE 2nd Street, Miami, and holds other classes on the

Wolfson Campus. Much like the school today, all of its classes were held in different buildings in downtown Miami when the school opened, including the main building of MDC Wolfson campus, as well as space at the Christ Fellowship church at 500 N.E. 1st Avenue, where drawing classes were held on the top floor. The school's current main building (a former AT&T communications department building) was first used for the 1990-1991 school year, as an electrical fire destroyed the school's original administration headquarters. The main building (the 5000 Building) houses most of the high school academic classes there, as well as both the high school and college administration units, dance studios, theaters, and art studios. The MDC Wolfson Science building (the 2000 Building, located at 300 NE 2nd Avenue) houses the science facilities. All music classes are held across the street from the MDC Wolfson Building at the aptly named Music Building (the 4000 Building, located at 401 NE 2nd Avenue; also houses MDC's Literary Center).

High school admissions and enrollment

Admission to New World School of the Arts is determined by a performance audition or a portfolio review. For detailed information, see the audition requirements for each division on its website. It serves as both a college and a high school; it is the only high school conservatory in Miami-Dade County. NWSA continued the PAVAC model of admission based entirely on audition. This differs from other Miami-Dade County Public School ( MDCPS) magnets which are not VPA (visual and performing arts) magnets, which have a mixed model of entrance eligibility requirements and lottery. Also unlike the other MDCPS magnets, but like other VPA magnets, it does not have the "sibling rule", a policy of giving priority if a student's sibling is already attending the magnet school. In 2011, 1,268 students applied for admission to New World, competing for 140 available spots. This gives New World an 11% admissions rate, making it one of Miami's most competitive public high schools. Total enrollment for 2009–10 was 828, with 473 in the high school and 355 in the college. School demographics for 2009–10 were 35% male and 65% female; 42% Hispanic (of any race), 36% White non-Hispanic, 19% Black, 3% Asian, and less than 1% other.

Notable alumni

* Russell Thomas,

opera singer Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libretti ...

* Mollye Asher,

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning producer (''

Nomadland ''Nomadland'' is a 2020 American drama film written, produced, edited and directed by Chloé Zhao. Based on the 2017 nonfiction book '' Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century'' by Jessica Bruder, it stars Frances McDormand a ...

'') * Michael Aronov,

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

-winning actor (''

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

'') *

Tarell Alvin McCraney Tarell Alvin McCraney (born October 17, 1980) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor. He is the chair of playwriting at the Yale School of Drama and a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble. He co-wrote the 2016 film ''Moonlight'' ...

, co-writer of ''

Moonlight Moonlight consists of mostly sunlight (with little earthlight) reflected from the parts of the Moon's surface where the Sun's light strikes. Illumination The intensity of moonlight varies greatly depending on the lunar phase, but even the ful ...

'',

winner, chair of playwriting at the

Yale School of Drama The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University is a graduate professional school of Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the Department of Drama in the School of Fine Arts, the school provides training in e ...

Hernan Bas Hernan Bas (born 1978 in Miami, Florida, United States) is an artist based in Miami, Florida. He graduated in 1996 from the New World School of the Arts in Miami. Bas is known for his depictions of waifs and dandies, who are somewhat based on h ...

, artist *

Robert Battle Robert Battle (born August 28, 1972 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is a dancer, choreographer and the Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Early life and education Originally from the Liberty City community of Miami, Fl ...

, choreographer, artistic director of the

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) is a modern dance company based in New York City. It was founded in 1958 by choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey. It is made up of 32 dancers, led by artistic director Robert Battle and associate ...

* Jennifer R. Blake, actress ('' Behaving Badly'') * Andréa Burns, stage actress * Dennis Calero, artist, Harvey Award-nominated comic book illustrator *

Jencarlos Canela Jencarlos Canela (born April 21, 1988) is an American actor and singer. Canela starred in the telenovela ''Mi corazón insiste en Lola Volcán'', and two other telenovelas. In September 2013, he began a new project called "Scan Me" on his offic ...

, actor, singer, composer, model *

Bernard Chang Bernard Chang (born 1972) is a Canadian-American artist/designer best known for his work in the comic book industry and entertainment design. Career Born in Montreal, Quebec, Chang started drawing comics professionally in 1992 while attending Pr ...

, graphic novel illustrator *

Alexis Cole Alexis Cole is an American jazz singer. Career Cole was born in Queens, New York. Her father and grandmother were both jazz singers and pianists. She grew up in South Florida, where she studied Musical Theater at the New World School of the Ar ...

, jazz singer *

Billy Corben William Cohen (born 1978), better known by the stage name Billy Corben, is an American documentary film director. Along with producing partner Alfred Spellman, he is co-founder of the Miami-based studio Rakontur, which has created films such as ...

, documentary film director (''

Cocaine Cowboys ''Cocaine Cowboys'' is a 2006 documentary film directed by Billy Corben, and produced by Alfred Spellman and Billy Corben through their Miami-based media studio Rakontur. The film explores the rise of cocaine dealer Jon Roberts, described by pro ...

'', ''

The U "The U" is a nickname often given to a university. Specifically, it has been used to refer to: * The University of Miami ** ''The U'' (film), a 2009 documentary about the University of Miami football team. * The University of Utah Other uses * ...

'') * Cote de Pablo, actress, recording artist (''NCIS'') * Masha Dashkina Maddux, former principal dancer at the Martha Graham Dance Company *

David Del Rio David Del Rio is an American actor, director and producer who has appeared in films and live productions such as '' Pitch Perfect'' and ''Grease Live!'', and has previously directed several short films. He graduated from New World School of the ...

, stage and television actor (''

The Troop ''The Troop'' is an action-comedy television series about a trio of teenagers who fight and capture monsters and other supernatural phenomena that invade the fictional town of Lakewood. Created and executive produced by Max Burnett, Greg Coo ...

'') * Lili Estefan, model and talk show host ('' El Gordo y la Flaca'') * Katie Finneran,

-winning actress * Brandon Flynn, actor in '' 13 Reasons Why'' *

Glenn Howerton Glenn Franklin Howerton III (born April 13, 1976) is an American actor, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for the long-running dark satirical comedy ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' (2005–present) on FX/FXX, a show he co-created ...

, actor (''

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' is an American sitcom created by Rob McElhenney and developed by McElhenney and Glenn Howerton that premiered on August 4, 2005 on FX and later FXX beginning with the ninth season in 2013. It stars Char ...

'') *

Alex Lacamoire Alex Lacamoire (born May 24, 1975) is a Cuban-American composer, arranger, conductor, musical director, music copyist, and orchestrator who has worked on many shows both on and off-Broadway. He is the recipient of multiple Tony and Grammy Aw ...

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

and

-winning orchestrator and producer (''

In the Heights ''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...

''); (''

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...

'') * John Paul Leon,

Eisner Award The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are List of Eisner Award winners, prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Acad ...

-nominated illustrator *

Erik Liberman Erik Liberman is an American actor, author, and director. Early life and education Liberman was born in Miami, the son of social worker Marsha and Havana-born vision scientist and author Jacob. He attended New World School of the Arts, where he ...

, Broadway and TV actor, author * Josie Lopez, actress (''

Make It or Break It ''Make It or Break It'' ( ''MIOBI)'' is an American teen/family drama television series that focused on the lives of teen gymnasts who strived to make it to the Olympic Games in 2012. The series was inspired by Touchstone's 2006 teen comedy-dra ...

'') * Ally Love, host of the

Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The ...

and a

Peloton In a road bicycle race, the peloton (from French, originally meaning 'platoon') is the main group or pack of riders. Riders in a group save energy by riding close ( drafting or slipstreaming) to (particularly behind) other riders. The reducti ...

fitness instructor *

Mia Michaels Mia Michaels Melchiona (known professionally as Mia Michaels; born February 22, 1966) is an American choreographer and judge on the television show '' So You Think You Can Dance''. She has worked with Tom Cruise, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, M ...

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

-winning choreographer (''

So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and ha ...

'') * Samantha Robinson, actress ('' The Love Witch'') * Julio Miranda, Emmy award-winning animator *

Cesar Santos Cesar Santos (born July 10, 1982) is a contemporary Cuban-American artist and portrait painter. He is better known for his body of work "Syncretism", a term he uses to describe paintings where he presents two or more art tendencies in aesthetic ba ...

, artist best known for coining the art term ''syncretism'' * Sarah Spiegel, singer-actress *

Jen Stark Jen Stark (born 1983 in Miami, Florida) is a multi-media American artist who lives and works in Los Angeles, California. Stark is best known for creating optical art using psychedelic colors in patterns and drips that mimic intricate motifs foun ...

, artist * Marcus Strickland, jazz saxophonist * Jessica Sutta, singer-songwriter, dancer, actress (

The Pussycat Dolls The Pussycat Dolls were an American girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles, California, by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe. At the suggestion of Jimmy Iovine, Antin decided to take the burlesque troupe ...

) * Lulu Wang, filmmaker ('' The Farewell'')

References

External links

How New World School of the Arts got its start (thanks to PAVAC)New World School of the Arts websiteMiami-Dade County Public SchoolsNWSA PTSANWSA alumniPAVAC on FacebookEarly history, about Ed LoveTimeline of NWSA administration and facultyPlanning an Arts Centered School, Dana Foundation
Chapter 4: Developing the Drama Curriculum at the New World School of the Arts, by Jorge Guerra-Castro {{DEFAULTSORT:New World School Of The Arts Education in Miami High schools in Miami-Dade County, Florida Magnet schools in Florida Miami Dade College Miami-Dade County Public Schools Performing arts education in the United States Schools of the performing arts in the United States University of Florida Public high schools in Florida Performing arts in Florida 1987 establishments in Florida Educational institutions established in 1987