Dance Performance BA Honours

Course content

What will you study on the BA Dance Performance?

You will intensively engage with the skills of dance practice; encompassing dance technique, dance performance and creative/innovative choreography. You will do this through expert guidance in the core dance techniques of the Graham-based, Humphrey-based, Cunningham-based, and Release-based, supplemented by classes in ballet and body conditioning. A range of optional classes such as jazz dance, repertoire, improvisation, as well as involvement in interdisciplinary opportunities contribute vitally to the development of technique and performance skills.

The theoretical modules are designed to develop your academic analytical skills, nurture enquiring minds alongside the performance and creative components. A range of studies such as anatomy, science of movement, dance history, critical and reflective analysis will help develop your independent thinking providing you with a solid academic foundation if you wish to further your studies by enrolling in one of our postgraduate degrees.

Practice

Daily practical classes in contemporary dance will develop your technical skills.

Performance

Performance work is an important part of the curriculum – we have a purpose built dance theatre alongside large studio performative spaces. Final year Dance Performance takes place in the Arts Depot, a thriving theatre in North London.

Choreography

Choreography plays a fundamental part in years 1 and 2. As well as developing your creativity, choreography assessments provide students with regular performance opportunities

Theory

Theory classes play a key role in enhancing students’ study and practice by helping them gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the contexts within which dance is embedded.

Although there is more contact time devoted to practical classes than to theory, students are expected to support this with independent study and research. Theory and practice are weighted as equally important when it comes to assessment.

Modules

Dance Technique, Dance Performance, Choreography: Compositional design, Participatory Arts (Community dance)

This module contains core material paramount to the understanding and practice of dance and is the key foundation for progression of all other modules in Year 2 and 3. You will practice and study the fundamental principles involved in dance technique, composition, performance and dance in participatory arts contexts in the UK. You will establish an awareness of the physical creative complexities involved and how these disciplines can be applied in a broader context.

Anatomy for Dancers, Dance History

This module will equip you with an understanding of anatomy in relation to the dancing body. The module will also deepen your knowledge of the historical and social influences on the arts. The module will develop your independent research and critical thinking.

Arts in London, effective learning skills, seminar presentation, research strategies, written skills

This module aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills to be an effective learner, with particular relevance to dance and the performing arts. You will be introduced to research, library research/ source location, reading and writing skills through different strategies and modes of learning. The module forms the basis for both BA (Hons)Dance Performance and BA(Hons) Dance Studies programmes and sets dance, as artistic expression, into an artistic and academic context.

Dance Technique, Choreography, Dance Analysis.

This module aims to extend and develop your level of knowledge and understanding in dance technique, choreography and performance acquired in the Dance Practices 1 module. This module introduces dance analysis by building on knowledge from the Dance Studies 1 module and skills from the Learning in Context module enabling you to identify, contextualise, analyse and interpret key issues relating to professional repertoire in order to enhance your knowledge and appreciation of dance. The module is designed to encourage a balanced and holistic approach to the study of Dance by establishing and reiterating logical connections between practice, composition and theory.

Critical Studies, Science of Movement.

This module aims to deepen the knowledge gained in both components of the Dance Studies 1 module. You will explore how issues of cultural and philosophical relevance can usefully illuminate contemporary dance theory and practice. Science of Movement allows you to develop your understanding of the moving body introducing postural and movement analysis in relation to dance performance. It will prepare you for the Dance Science Research Project, the Independent Research Project and the Choreography Research Project modules in Year 3.

This module aims to further develop practical dance and performance skills in relation to the specific stylistic demands, conventions, and principles within the jazz dance genre. This module works alongside dance technique, performance and choreography, developing the dancer's versatility, through focusing on the application of complementary technique and performance skills specific to diverse jazz techniques and styles.

This module will explore the breadth of improvisation as a discipline both as a mode of development in creative dance making and as a principle of performance. Focus will be given to key methodologies such as Contact Improvisation, Action Theatre, and Authentic Movement. In addition the module will highlight the creative possibilities such as task setting and the use of scores towards the development of a choreographic lexicon. This module will serve to support choreography as part of the Dance Practices 2 moduel, release technique, and performance practice.

This module has been designed to provide, through practical experience, an artistic understanding of selected contemporary dance repertoire to allow you to form cohesive links with theoretical areas covered in dance history, critical studies and composition and the physical and stylistic aspects of dance technique. You will gain experience of learning from and rehearsing under a professional director. You will have the opportunity for developing your discipline with regards to self-directed practice, as this is an essential part of the learning process.

Dance techniques and technique evaluation.

This module will provide, through study and practice, a depth of knowledge of dance techniques. You will acquire increased technical, stylistic and interpretative abilities through further development of the dance techniques encountered in Year 2.

Dance Performance: repertoire/new work, performance evaluation.

The module will provide through study and practice a depth of knowledge of choreographic works from the modern/contemporary dance genre. Students will acquire increased technical, stylistic and interpretative abilities through participation in either new or recreated dance works. They will have the opportunity to investigate, develop and apply varying rehearsal techniques. The module draws upon tutors' professional performance, directional and/or choreographic experience.

Overview of subfields within the dance profession, with optional choice of components.

On this module, you will gain an awareness of career paths in dance, especially those outside the routes of choreography and performance. The module will cover a range of professional areas, providing information on opportunities for employment and skills required for navigating a journey through the dance profession in the UK. You will also gain a grasp of funding structures and an overview of the dance ecology that supports dance and the performing arts in the UK. This module allows you to step outside of the safety of university life and make vital links both in research and practice with the wider dance profession. You will then have a choice of one component out of three possible strands:

• The Teaching Dance Technique component aims to provide experiential understanding of the teaching of contemporary dance technique through study and practice
• The Work Placement component will provide first-hand experience of a UK dance/arts organisation along with an opportunity to reflect on that experience
• Dance Criticism aims to develop the journalistic side of theatre practices in giving you the opportunity to foster your written skills

The module aims to equip you with the skills, methods and procedures to enable you to research and present a major, individually chosen, designed and managed research project. It will draw upon the research and study skills acquired in previous modules such as library searches, data analysis, academic writing, argumentation, critical thinking, discussion skills, analysis, and scholarly presentation as appropriate for the chosen topic.

Including Science of Movement lectures.

This module aims to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and methods required to research and present an individually chosen, designed and managed dance science related research project. It will extend and develop knowledge gained from anatomy and science of movement components, and build upon the research and study skills acquired in previous modules such as library searches, observational analysis, data collection, critical thinking, discussion skills, and scholarly presentation, as appropriate for the chosen topic.

You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.