After our last review, we didn’t know if we could return. Sike. We didn’t flinch and we’re back for more. Put down your algebraic equations and sentence starters, today’s warmups involve solfege and polyrhythms. Can you guess? If you said Duke Ellington School of the Arts, you are correct. We know what you’re thinking: how can Duke be a rival if they don’t have sports? Well, we like to have something for everybody, even theater kids.

While walking into what could be mistaken for The White House, we were greeted with four floors, each with unique passageways and studio corridors. The center has a huge domed theater, with entrances on every floor looking like something from a dystopian novel. Outside, a spacious balcony overlooks Glover Park called the “portico” (we didn’t know what that meant until now).

The hallways are starkly different from JR. Galleries filled with student artwork; dance studios crowded with kids doing choreography (Becca got yelled at for peeking); and vocal booths jammed with mic’d up students. There were normal classrooms too, but no one cares about that.

Students’ artistic fields are woven into their academic assignments. Overall, the workload at Duke is what you would assume: double. If you’re wondering why we aren’t joaning on the school as much as usual, they’re perturbed enough with their 14-hour days.

Now we know everyone wants answers to the age-old question: what does museum studies actually do? 

While a valid concern, we can’t say we got a clear answer. We did learn that various departments interact in bizarre ways. The theater and dance departments are the most cliquey and keep to themselves, which says a lot considering “Dukies” seem completely cut off from the rest of DC’s high schools. The visual arts department appears to be feuding with museum studies over… gallery space? We’re not really sure. Instrumental is the most popular department, but vocal is the hardest. Despite the sporadic tunnel vision, students support their peers in all departments. Let’s just say a piano recital is to them what a soccer game is to us.

Regarding Duke’s teachers, there’s no shortage. Jealous. It seems students and staff create close relationships and tell each other everything. Like everything. For not being a private school, Duke’s building and facilities sure emulate opulence, we just wish we could say the same for JR. The next time Dave Chapelle is looking for a place to pour his money to, tell him to call us.