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Performing Arts

Northrop Performing Arts offers classes and experiences for all students at all development levels. In the performing arts classroom, students will learn valuable life-skills, as well as cross-curricular content, through their performance and participation in music. Students have the opportunity to explore the arts through bands, choirs, dance, orchestras, theatre and other performing arts classes.

Band

Concert Bands

  • Beginning Band – Freshmen

  • Intermediate Band – Grades 10–12, non-audition

  • Advanced Band – Auditioned, top concert ensemble

Marching Band

The Northrop Big Orange Pride

  • Award-winning ensemble

  • ISSMA Scholastic A Finalists: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Jazz Program

  • Jazz 1 – Advanced, class-based ensemble

  • Jazz 2 & Jazz 3 – After-school ensembles (2 days/week)

  • Host of the annual Barry A. Aston Jazz Festival 

Awards & Honors
  • ISSMA All-Music Award recipient for 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
  • ISSMA Scholastic A Gold rating with distinction in music, visual and general effect 2025
  • ISSMA Scholastic A Gold rating with distinction in music and visual 2024
  • ISSMA Scholastic A Gold rating 2023
  • ISSMA Scholastic A Gold rating 2022
  • ISSMA Gold rating, Concert Band Organizational 2023, 2024, 2025
  • ISSMA Gold rating, Jazz 1 and Jazz 2 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Performances & Events
  • Four annual concerts
  • ISSMA Events
  • PFW Band Events
  • Select Honor Bands
  • Host of the IJEA District Jazz Festival
  • Host of the Barry A. Ashton Jazz Festival
A marching band performs on a football field, with a large green flag and colorful uniforms in the foreground, against a dark background.
A large orchestra performing on a stage, with musicians seated in rows and a conductor leading them, surrounded by a dark curtained backdrop.
A large orchestra performing on a stage, with various musicians playing a variety of instruments, including strings, brass, and percussion, against a dark background.
A group of musicians performing on stage in a dark setting, with various instruments and equipment visible in the foreground.
A large group of musicians, including vocalists and instrumentalists, performing on a stage with colorful lighting and a curtain backdrop.
A marching band in orange and black uniforms stands on a grassy field, with a clear blue sky and distant hills visible in the background.
A large orchestra performs on a dimly lit stage, with the musicians dressed in formal attire and the conductor standing prominently in the center.
A group of performers in orange and black uniforms are holding colorful flags and performing on a football field, with a stadium visible in the background.

Choir

Beginning Chorus

  • Open to freshmen & new upperclassmen

  • Focus on vocal technique, ensemble singing & music literacy

  • Quarterly concerts + ISSMA organization contest

Intermediate Chorus

  • Builds on skills from Beginning Chorus

  • Ideal for students wanting choral experience outside show choir

  • Performs in quarterly concerts

  • Participates in ISSMA contest each spring

Advanced Treble Show Choir — Allure
  • Performs a wide range of choral literature
  • Competes at ISSMA and winter show choir competitions
  • Rehearses twice weekly after school
  • Requires significant time and financial commitment
Advanced Mixed Show Choir — Charisma
  • Northrop’s top choral ensemble (mixed show choir)
  • Performs advanced and varied choral literature
  • Competes at ISSMA and winter show choir competitions
  • Rehearses twice weekly after school
  • Requires significant time and financial commitment
More details
Allure & Charisma
  • Auditioned choirs that meet daily with additional after-school, evening, weekend and summer commitments
  • Allure: FWCS’s only women’s show choir; 60 members; competes and performs multiple times each year
  • Charisma: Performs 40–50 times annually at contests, holiday shows and private events across Fort Wayne and the Midwest
  • All Charisma members also participate in Concert Choir
  • Auditions for both groups are held each spring for the next school year
A large group of performers in colorful costumes stand on a dimly lit stage, with a dark background and curtains visible.
A large group of performers in colorful, patterned costumes stand on a stage against a dark backdrop, with a single performer in a white dress standing in the center.
A large group of performers in colorful costumes and dance poses on a stage with a dark background.
A large group of performers in colorful costumes standing on a stage against a dark background.

Dance

Dance 1
  • A great introduction to dance technique, rhythm and performance
Dance 2
  • Builds on foundational skills with more challenging choreography
Dance 3
  • Advanced training for dancers ready to refine technique and expand their performance abilities
Northrop Dance Team
Students may audition to join our award-winning Dance Team, which includes:
  • Jazz Team
  • Hip Hop Team
Dancers may choose to participate in one or both teams. Members attend after-school practices and compete throughout the year through the Indiana High School Dance Team Association (IHSDTA).
Performances
All dance students, whether in Dance 1, 2, 3 or on the Dance Team, perform in our end-of-year dance recital. This event is a highlight of the school year.
 
A Legacy of Excellence
For more than 30 years, the Northrop Dance Team has built a reputation for excellence, earning state and national titles and proudly representing our school at competitions across Indiana and beyond.
A group of performers in bright pink costumes are engaged in an acrobatic dance routine on a stage with a crowd of people in the background.
A group of dancers performing on a stage, with one dancer in the foreground striking a dynamic pose.
A group of dancers in red and black outfits striking dynamic poses against a plain background.
A group of young women in bright pink and black dance costumes stand together on a wooden floor against a plain background.

Orchestra

Concert Orchestra (Beginning)

  • Open to all incoming 9th graders or 10th–12th graders wanting to learn a new instrument

  • Focus on fundamentals and ensemble skills

Chamber Orchestra (Intermediate)

  • Grades 10–12

  • Non-audition ensemble emphasizing technique, blend and expanded repertoire

Northrop Sinfonia (Advanced; Audition-Only)

  • Grades 10–12

  • Premier performing group representing Northrop throughout the city and region

Performances & Events
  • Four annual concerts
  • ISSMA Festival
  • PFW Band & Orchestra Festival
  • Taste of the Arts
Sinfonia Community Outreach (signature feature):
Performances at:
  • FWCS Board Meetings
  • Komets Games
  • Festival of Trees
  • Nursing Homes & Community Events
  • McMillen Park Celebrations
  • Spring Recruitment Tour
A group of people, some holding musical instruments, standing together in a grassy outdoor setting with trees and a blue sky in the background.
A large orchestra performs on a dimly lit stage, with musicians playing various instruments and the conductor leading the ensemble.
A group of musicians, including a conductor, are performing on a stage with various musical instruments and equipment in the background.
A young man in a black shirt is playing a red violin on a stage, with various musical equipment and speakers visible in the background.

Theatre

Theatre Arts I & II

  • Acting, movement, voice, improvisation

  • Playwriting & technical theatre fundamentals

Theatre Production

  • Hands-on work in scenic design, lighting, sound, props, costuming & stage management

  • Students also perform in annual productions

Musical Theatre

  • Acting, singing & dance training

  • Focus on musical storytelling and ensemble performance

Productions & Activities
  • Fall Play (mainstage)
  • Spring Musical (mainstage)
  • Weekly Theatre Club for:
    • Workshops & master classes
    • Theatre outings & professional shows
    • Games, bonding and enrichment
Student Recognition
International Thespian Society
  • Honors excellence in performance, technical theatre & leadership
Two silhouetted figures engaged in a dramatic pose against a vibrant purple background, with various stage elements visible in the foreground.
A vibrant and colorful stage performance with dancers in elaborate costumes and a dramatic backdrop of swirling lights and patterns.
A person with pink hair is sitting on a blue platform with the text %22As Me%22 displayed, surrounded by various objects and a red background.
A large group of people in colorful costumes and outfits stand on a stage with a vibrant purple and pink backdrop, creating a visually striking and lively scene.
A group of performers wearing colorful, feathered costumes stand on a stage against a backdrop of vibrant artwork.