Theatre
Catalina dancers, singers, and actors captivate audiences in our 500-seat Performing Arts Center, staging two musicals and one dramatic or comedic play each year. Off-stage, students operate the sound system, computerized lighting, and full-fly scenery equipment in all three full-scale productions.
Music
Musicians and singers represent a dedicated and talented group at Catalina. Students participate in our chamber ensemble and award-winning choir, and have the opportunity to receive private music instruction. These groups perform in a number of concerts, recitals, competitions, and community events throughout the year.
Visual Arts
Students creatively express themselves in a variety of 2-D and 3-D media, with opportunities for in-depth exploration and collaboration and a solid foundation in the formal aspects of design. Our certificate program in the visual arts allows passionate artists to expand and refine their style over all four years, culminating in a portfolio of work that can be used for college admissions and future interviews. Students of all levels showcase their talents in our on-campus gallery and in local and national competitions.
Dance
Dance is a rigorous and beautiful art form that engages the use of the whole self, connecting mind, body, and heart. It is used in many settings, from physical fitness to self-exploration and expression. Students are able to take a variety of classes at all levels in ballet, contemporary, pointe, jazz, hip hop, tap, and musical theatre dance, as well as strength and flexibility. Catalina dancers perform at an end-of-year showcase and in two musical productions each year.
Arts Facilities
- Performing Arts Center — This 500-seat theatre hosts musicals, plays, concerts, and showcases throughout the year.
- Art Studios — Catalina students use a studio designed for drawing, printmaking, painting, and ceramics, as well as a digital media lab and a full darkroom for black-and-white film photography.
- Mary Johnson Music Center — This center includes six private practice rooms and a 150-seat recital hall with near-perfect acoustics.
- Mary Johnson Dance Studio — Dance classes are held in this spacious studio complete with a mirrored wall and spring-loaded floor.
Visual Arts
The Monterey Peninsula has a rich history in the arts. In fact, before Santa Catalina was here, these grounds were home to a community of artists—including none other than Salvador Dali. We take advantage of this artistic legacy by regularly visiting local art museums and galleries. Students have also visited the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco and stunning private collections. These trips not only expose students to the works of professional artists, but give them a glimpse into curation and exhibition.
Performing Arts
The Central Coast has a vibrant theatre scene, and the Catalina community loves to turn out to support teachers and staff who grace the stage. On weekends, Catalina frequently organizes trips to see professional dance and theatre performances in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, students may take part in a New York City performing arts trip each winter, attending at least seven shows, visiting art museums, taking a performance-related class, and getting a backstage tour of a Broadway theatre.
Upper School ArtsAn integral part of our music department, private music lessons are offered to students on campus during the school week, led by outstanding musicians and teachers from the Central Coast area. Lessons are offered in double bass, cello, clarinet, flute, guitar, mandolin, percussion, piano, saxophone, ukulele, viola, violin, and voice. The school has six practice studios equipped with Steinway pianos. Music students have an opportunity to participate in regional and state honor orchestras and in certification programs such as the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and the Certificate of Merit.
Upper School ArtsVisual arts students share their work with their classmates and the greater art world through exhibitions and local and national competitions. We host three exhibits in our library gallery every year, organized by senior interns and featuring a variety of works by students at all levels. In addition, our students regularly win awards in the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, as well as local contests such as the Weston Portfolio photography competition, which includes submissions from college students.
Upper School Arts