Dance

Typically, you will be in practical classes, lectures, and rehearsals for four days a week and you will have one day a week to study at home. You may opt to come to campus to practise in our studios on your study day and you can also use our studios and library in the evenings and at the weekends.

Your timetable will be well-balanced with a variety of practical and theoretical sessions spread across the week to ensure an interesting variety of topics, and time for recovery from practical classes and rehearsals to ensure your best possible performance, health and well-being. Technical and creative practical classes are taught in the week and supplementary training (eg. Pilates, Yoga, circuits) forms part of your programme in order to offer you the best possible current practice in dance training.

Your lectures will often include practical activities, and most theoretical modules include guest speakers and external visits. You will have your own personal tutor during the course, and you can see your tutor and your other lecturers regularly during each semester. The university offers excellent academic support to all students.

An important part of university life is your development as an independent practitioner and thinker, and each week you will have a range of tasks to do (practical rehearsals, training, watching, reading, and writing) to support your taught work and develop your independent study skills. This will include practical rehearsals and sessions in which you explore and refine your technical and creative work.

Modules

Year 1

• Introduction to Dance Practice
• Introduction to Dance Performance
• What is Dance?
• Fit and Healthy Dancer
• Choreography
• Ways of Seeing

Year 2

• Dance Practice: Intermediate
• Dance Performance: Intermediate
• Choreolab
• Dance Studies
• Professional Studies
• Dance Research Methods

Year 3

• Advanced Dancer
• Advanced Performer
• Working in the Dance Profession (includes a placement)
• Crafting Performance
• Dance Project

Opportunities

During the course you will:

• Gain the Silver and Gold Employability Awards
• Have the opportunity to work with Le Loup Dance Company (our student company)
• Participate in external arts projects (eg. films, live performances)
• Develop industry links through work with influential regional theatre companies such as ACE Dance and Music, Rosie Kay Dance Company, Birmingham Royal Ballet.
• Become proficient in industry-level film-making
• Work with visiting dance artists and companies
• Have the opportunity to perform in venues such as the Birmingham REP, the Arena Theatre, Forest Arts, and DanceXchange
• Develop skills in teaching, facilitating, and leading workshops/classes
• Use the most current technology and equipment in dance science and film editing
• Have a work placement of your choice

Who will teach you on this course?

The staff teaching you on the course will include Frances Clarke (Subject Leader and Senior Lecturer), Dr Clare Lidbury (Reader in Dance and Principal Lecturer), Danielle Aways (Senior Lecturer), and expert Visiting Lecturers from the dance industry. All our full time dance lecturers have worked as dance practitioners in the UK and abroad, and this wealth of experience is of huge benefit to our students. We are expert teachers and have shared our pedagogical practice at national Higher Education conferences. We are all research-active and disseminate our own research work nationally and internationally and importantly, this informs our teaching on the course.