HOW IT ALL STARTED (​1996 - 2024)

Affinity Arts was founded on January 15, 1996, ​28 years ago, by a family of international educators and musicians.
Affinity Arts International School has an innovative teaching method that joins a collection of factors responsible for the development of differences of multiple abilities.

1996
​Affinity Arts Foundation - Ballet and Nursery School 

The fundamental idea behind the inauguration of Affinity Arts was to offer a differentiated quality in terms of music, dance, art, and educational activities for the community of Brasilia. The founders, as educators and musicians, resolved to unite the useful to the pleasant in the formation of courses that could push the culture of the city.
 
Two ballerinas that were part of the most famous Ballet Corp of the world, The Kirov, were recruited to start up the project. Sergei Gorbatov and Maria Vakhroucheva (Masha) were the first staff that functioned as ballerinas in the initial activities of the school.
 
With the invaluable assistance of musician Joycelyn Jolly (Cello) and her associates Suzanne von Frasunkiewicz (Violin), André von Frasunkiewicz (piano), and Serge Frasunkiewicz (piano), the ballerinas Sergei and Masha travelled to various Brazilian cities, presenting shows, participating in meetings, and offering dance workshops.
 
During this time, at Affinity Arts’ office, a ballet school was inaugurated: Baby Class of the Advanced Professional. While Brasilia enjoyed the best of Russian dance, Affinity initiated a small nursery school with some of the students being Brazilian, and others connected to the diplomatic community.
 
The program was a pioneer in the city to include music and arts in the daily school routine. The activities developed were embedded in studies that provide surreptitious results in cognitive development through the use of music on a daily basis during primary years.
 
The results are evident, as we have received notices and reports of students who have passed through the school within these 27 years, since its opening. These testimonies, of international and national families, attest to the prominence and appreciation of their conquests.

2001
Inauguration of the Soirees

The idea of soirees at Affinity Arts school rose through the strong desire of the founders (a family of educators and musicians) to integrate the community through music! This beautiful project counted on the assistance of the Bahá’í Community which, for the sake of humanity, exists in a constant search for peace and unity, and prioritizes education and the promotion of the arts.
 
Each encounter has a new theme to be presented. During the musical presentations, readings or poems were read, in English and Portuguese, about the theme of the day. The soirees counted on the participation of many valued local and international artists. With free-entrance, it was an important meeting place for the Community of Brasilia to appreciate high quality music and reflect on the discussed topics.

2004
Opening of the Daycare and Preschool

With the enormous success of the nursery school, Affinity Arts submitted to the Secretary of Education of the Federal District, accreditation documentation as an educational institution. The pedagogical project and the formalization of the school processes were approved, marking a new step for the activities in partnership with the school community. Since then, each year, Affinity Arts has improved its program and facilities, consolidating its quality and tradition in Brasilia.
 
The results, originating in a systematic and organic growth, demonstrate that Affinity Arts has developed a program, methodology, and unique teaching method, without precedent, in the capital of the country.

2007
Implantation of the Program IDEALS

Affinity Arts inaugurated a differentiated immersion program to learn the English language: IDEALS. ​The acronym signifies the integration of Theater, English, Art, Language, and Science (Integrated Drama, English, Art, Language, and Science).
 
Created as part of a group request by some parents that, worried about the continuity of the teaching of the English language and the arts, solicited the support of the school along the path of creating a program to follow up on the work started in the Primary Education.
 
Operating only in English, in the afternoon, IDEALS is offered for children between 6 and 12 years of age that are enrolled in Primary School in a national school. Fulfilled through interdisciplinary activities such as central learning strategies, IDEALS works as an idea of grouping children of different ages (known as “multi-age grouping”).
 
This technique has demonstrated, in different countries, surprising results in the intellectual, social, and emotional scope.

2010
Start of the Preliminary Projects of Affinity Arts Eco School

Due to the innumerous solicitations of parents about the continuity of the series (Primary through Secondary School), the Affinity Arts Council started a thorough search for the ideal architectural model for the school, and to find professionals that understand the importance of the space to be adequate for the proposed work (a project that differs a lot from the architectural model of conventional schools).
 
Among the professionals that took part in these studies and developed projects were: Roberta Rorer (1st project), João Magno and Team (2nd Project), and César Peres & Felipe Madeira (3rd Project). César and Felipe developed a sustainable project that also attended all the pedagogical needs. The duo have continued working in partnership with Affinity Arts.
 
At this moment, the project has found itself in the approval phase of the responsible bodies and execution of the permaculture of the space.

2017
Insertion of the Program Affinity Plus

With the objective of giving continuity to the learning process, Affinity Plus (after school) was made available, exclusively, for students of the regular Affinity Arts programs. In this program, the students gain pedagogical help to complete homework, as well as complementary activities, Monday through Friday. The use of this extracurricular service is optional and can be acquired for each additional hour, with service until 6:00 pm.
 
Among the offered activities are: Cooking, Cooperative Games, Theater, Capoeira and Creative Dance, among others.

2018
Implementation of the Program IDEALS TEENS

Inspired by the already existing IDEALS: integration of Theater, English, Art, Language, and Science (Integrated Drama, English, Art, Language, and Science), Affinity Arts started a directed and dynamic program for teens between 13 and 14 years old, meeting twice a week.

Clippings AND MEDIA

Over the years, Affinity Arts has had its image publicized in the media. Remember here some ads and interviews that highlighted our school.

Clippings

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Media

Material: Vídeo
​Program: Caminhos da Reportagem
Feature: Pensando a Educação
Year: 2013
Credits: TV Brasil

Material: Revista
​Subject address: Click here.
Feature: Escolas modernas
Ano: 2011
Credits: Plano Brasília Kids / Tássia Navarro

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Material: Reportagem para internet
​Subject address: Click here.
Feature: Affinity Arts: uma escola diferente
Year: 2018
Credits: Revista 61 Brasília / Núbia Paula

Material: Reportagem para internet
​Subject address: Click here.
Feature: Além do tradicional
Year: 2014
Credits: Brasília Encontro / Larissa Leite / Tereza Rodrigues

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Material: Reportagem para internet
​Subject address: Click here.
Feature: Brasil - O dilema escolar
Year: 2015
Credits: Brasileiras pelo Mundo / Fabi Mesquita

Material: Blog 
​Subject address: Click here.
Feature: Semana do Dia das Crianças
Year: 2018
Credits: Pine Tree Farm