By James Ainsworth

At the courtyard entrance to the front doors of the Denver School of the Arts, high above the din of students chatting with their friends, having lunch, practicing their instruments, flirting or playing school yard games, is a large sign that reads, “Unity Through Diversity.” Inside the cafeteria and foyer, also a favorite social gathering place for students is another sign in big, bold letters that reads, “Building Excellence in Arts, Academics and Character.”

With about 900 students ranging in age from 11 to 18, studying everything from violin and vocals to creative writing, drama, visual art, video and filmmaking, the atmosphere at DSA is ebullient and energetic, and very unique for a Denver public school. The students come from all over Denver as well as places like Englewood, Littleton and Boulder to get specialized training in their creative skills while also receiving a standard high school education and diploma.

On a certain Friday evening, the foyer has the same familiar cacophony of excited students, but this time they are sharing their space with parents, family and friends, enjoying spicy barbecue ribs, smoked salmon, sausage and other delicacies as a prelude to the opening night of “Hold Fast to Dreams: A Tribute to Black Colleges and Education.” The DSA production — conceived, directed and organized by a small group of African American students — is the second of what is now becoming an annual tradition at the school.

Some 60 people in the foyer, a mixed crowd of Blacks, whites and Hispanics, young and old, teenagers and middle school kids, have all come to watch one of the most celebrated shows at the arts school. During the fall semester of 2004, a few African-American students at DSA who felt socially isolated began talking about ways to bring their culture and creativity to the school.  After many extra-curricular discussions, practices and rehearsals, their efforts culminated in “Through the Eyes of History,” a show that took teachers, parents and students at DSA by storm. The success of the show — its professionalism, creativity and the audience response—caught everyone by surprise, and suddenly created a benchmark of high expectations for what DSA African-American students are able to showcase for the school — and for themselves.

The balcony and main floor seats of the Schomp Theater were packed with a full-capacity crowd of 500. The warm and inviting, ultra-modern auditorium — an integral part of DSA’s campus — had an air of excitement as many in the audience had witnessed the first Black History Month production. The show opened with the sultry, soulful voice of senior Brittany Williams, a Hispanic student in the Vocals Department, singing “Lift Every Voice,” and then gradually encouraging the audience to join in. Then the full-screen stage background came to life with colorful multi-media graphics and video imagery that gave depth and meaning to the stage performances. A clever montage of interviews of school students and staff were juxtaposed rhythmically, complete with student news reporters and an MTV-like narrator. “What is HBCU?” they ask perplexed secretaries, teachers, administrators and fellow classmates, capturing a variety of blank stares, stammers and ridiculous answers like “Hot Bi Chicks’ Underwear.” The point was clearly made — many people at DSA are unfamiliar with the term “Historically Black Colleges and Universities”— and the upcoming show itself would be an educational process.

The two-hour show included 27 segments of creatively integrated dance, music, spoken word and dramatic narratives, all elaborating some theme or aspect of African American education or culture. The pieces included characterizations of Booker T. Washington, Mary McCloud Bethune, Zora Neale Hurston and William Wilberforce, as well as performances of Billy Holliday’s “Strange Fruit,” a funky tap dance homage to James Brown and the ‘60s, and dramatizations of SNCC sit-ins and Black Panther activism. Interspersed between the educational vignettes were powerful music and dance choreographies ranging from the In Living Color “Fly Girls” and African and reggae dance numbers to renditions of the latest “krunk” street-style craze from South Central Los Angeles. Amid wild screams and cheers from the audience, a full football “half time show” featured fraternity stepping, dance challenges, marching bands and an impeccable drum line, with elaborately timed routines fit for the best Morehouse or Howard University drummers. In a word, “Hold Fast to Dreams” was an excellent stage spectacle.

What is perhaps most extraordinary about the Hold Fast to Dreams show is the impact it has had on DSA as a school and the students themselves. African-American students who once felt isolated and alienated have opened a gateway of cultural creativity that has helped transform the school’s social environment. While “Hold Fast to Dreams” and “Through the Eyes of History” have been organized around Black History Month themes, Hispanic, Asian and white students have played significant roles in the productions.

The African-American students who were instrumental in organizing both shows are pleased with the results.

“Not many of the African American kids felt accepted at this school,” “Hold Fast to Dreams” director Nestar Elrod said, in a group interview with students involved in the production. She pointed out that there has been a marked difference in the atmosphere at DSA since the African American students developed their Black History Month productions. Says one student, “(Now) I feel more accepted at the school. I think all of us feel like we have a place here now, and we have something to look forward to, and something to work for.”

The students have experienced a learning curve and growth process in their productions, making many adjustments since they staged the “Through the Eyes of History” in February 2005. This year they formed committees and elected a senior director and junior assistant director to help ensure continuity in DSA productions for future years. Responsibilities were more evenly distributed and tasks were better organized.

“Last year helped a lot. It taught us students responsibility and commitment.  We learned from the mistakes we made last year and applied them this year,” assistant director Jaleesa McIntosh said. “Not as many classes were being missed and we were able to set rules. You weren’t allowed to use Black History Month as an excuse to miss classes.”

McIntosh, a junior in the Vocals Department, pointed out that the Black History Month production gained more credibility this year, partly because of the success of the previous show and in part because the students made a presentation to teachers and administrators at a staff meeting about the importance of Black History month and how African-American students at DSA felt about it.

Penda N’Diaye, a junior in the Dance Department who choreographed the reggae segment, was particularly impressed with how the Black History Month shows have grown in diversity and inclusiveness over time.

"From the beginning we were saying that this show wasn’t just for Black people.  But a lot of people were still timid … This year we had so much more diversity and it brought so many more people together,” N’Diaye said, adding that many white students have overcome their initial hesitations about being involved in the show. “It was so much better to bring those people who normally wouldn’t feel comfortable doing something like a Black History Month program. But they were able to come in and feel comfortable--ultimately having a more diverse school was one of our goals.”

While a few students, like band major Shane Alexander, gospel choir director Hosea Cannon, drama student and choreographer Donte Essien and Lashon Williams, who managed the technical and stagecraft elements, played major roles, the Black History Month shows appear primed to develop future talent among younger DSA students.

Alexander, a junior, seemed not to be discouraged by the loss of leaders like Hosea and Nestar Elrod, who are graduating seniors.

“I see it in a different way. So many people have so many different visions — it can evolve to where the people we have in the show might not be in the show in two years,” the nimble drummer and dancer said. “Somebody else may have some other vision of something else. We might come back in 2 or 3 years and it might be completely different.”

The Black History Month shows have added a new dimension and legacy to DSA, but not without a number of challenges and difficulties. The productions have been especially demanding for students as well as teachers, who have to take personal time outside of the classroom on afternoons and some evenings to pull everything together. The extra effort has been particularly stressful in the weeks leading up to the production, and students have to be careful to balance their responsibilities and not fall behind academically.

English teacher Amy McGrath, history teacher Barbara Allen, technology teacher Keith Rice and English and dance teacher Cindy Threet have been heavily involved in guiding the students’ work. Threet believes that the “Hold Fast to Dreams” and “Through the Eyes of History” productions developed a creative multi-disciplinary approach that brings together students from different departments who typically would not get opportunities to blend their talents together. Despite long overtime hours and a great deal of tension leading up to the performance, she feels the Black History Month shows are infusing a vital new energy into the arts school.

“On an energy level and creativity, this is way over the other (DSA) shows — you never see shows where the audience won’t leave. You don’t see audiences standing and clapping,” Threet said, adding that the students demonstrated a high level of competence in directing their own production. “It was just as professional as the DSA shows that are directed by professional teachers.

“Other shows are not as interdisciplinary. Every other year, periodically, they have a musical, and the students have to audition. The kids don’t get a lot of chances to work across the boundaries, and they do it so beautifully here.”

Threet said the production was organized on a shoestring budget of $400 for food and $200 for the sarongs that were used in an African dance performance. She also was proud the student organizers allowed non-Black students to have prominent roles.

“The kids who are in a (non-Black) ‘minority’ culture are allowed to glow — I don’t think you get any better than that. I believe in this on so many levels,” Threet said, with a quiet, satisfied smile. “I think it’s one of the richest things that is happening at DSA.”

Editor’s note: The DSA campus is located at Montview and Quebec in Park Hill. For more information visit the DSA Web site at: dsa.dpsk12.org. Admission packages are prepared in October and must be completed by December. Student auditions are in February for August enrollment. For more information, call assistant principal Molly Leamon at 720-424-1700.