Performing Arts L3

Programme Features:

All our highly qualified staff maintain effective connections with industry to make sure that their teaching is both relevant and current. Our area benefits from excellent facilities including a professional TV studio and fully equipped dance and drama studios.

All the students in our area benefit from a programme of master classes, guest speakers, numerous trips including foreign visits, performances, relevant work related activities, and additional courses. These courses include the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate.

These activities, together with dynamic teaching sessions enable our students not only to learn about their subjects but develop skills essential for employment and university.

Graduates from courses in the performing arts department have gone on to study Acting and Technical Theatre at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, The London Drama Centre and Birmingham School of Acting, Musical Theatre at Guildford School of Acting, Applied Drama and Community Theatre at LIPA and Birmingham School of Acting and Dance at Middlesex, Roehampton, University of East London and University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

The performing arts department works hard to establish and develop links with the industry including work with BBC ‘It’s My Shout’, Michael Sheen and ‘The Passion’, Earthfall and The National Theatre Connections programme. The department has a thriving visiting tutor programme which enables students to have regular contact with industry professionals.

Programme Content:

Level 3 Acting Strand

The acting strand will give you the opportunity to explore and develop your skills in a range of theatre styles and practitioners including Stanislavski, Brecht and Berfkoff. You will have the opportunity to work with both published texts and devised work and rehearse work for public performances. As well as working with the staff from the performing arts department you will also have the opportunity to take part in workshop with industry professionals.

EXAMPLES OF UNITS FROM THE ACTING STRAND INCLUDE:

Investigating Practitioners' Work

Developing Skills and Techniques for Performance

Acting Styles

Physical Theatre Techniques

Improvisation

Interpreting Classical Text for Performance

Screen Acting

Recent performances include:

• Lilies on the Land (Y Ffwrenes and Gwili Railway)
• Blue Remembered Hills (Y Ffwrenes)
• Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht
• Under Milk Wood (The National Botanic Garden of Wales)
• Somewhere Not Home (A devised piece of the work of Edward Hopper)
• Here We Just Are (A devised piece based on Dylan Thomas)
• The Trial adapted by Steven Berkoff
• DNA (Part of the National Theatre Connections programme performed in The Egg, Theatre Royal, Bath)
• Long Day (A film produced by students which was premiered at Y Ffwrnes)
• The Grimm Tales and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The National Botanic Garden of Wales)
• Ignite (Performance showcase at Y Ffwrnes)

Level 3 Dance Strand

Dance will give you the opportunity to develop your skill as a dance performer and choreographer in a range of different dance styles such as ballet, jazz, commercial and contemporary. It is an enjoyable form of exercise as well as being an output for creativity and positive energy. You will have the opportunity to explore professional dance works, appreciate dance in an informed manner and create your own choreography with a view to perform. The course is delivered by a highly skilled and enthusiastic team within a relaxed yet challenging learning environment. In addition to being taught by the staff at the college you will have the opportunity to attend classes that are led by professional artists who currently work in the industry and have taught at prestigious dance colleges around the country.

EXAMPLES OF UNITS FROM THE DANCE STRAND INCLUDE:

Investigating Practitioners Work

Developing Skills and Techniques for Performance

Classical Ballet Technique

Contemporary Dance Technique

Choreography for Live Performance

Jazz Dance Technique

Recent performances/Workshops include:

• Ignite 'Annual Dance Showcase' (Y Ffwrnes)
• UDance 2014 (Sherman Cymru)
• Pick Up the Pace Revisited (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance)
• Rugby League World Cup 2013 (Millennium Stadium)
• BBC It's My Shout Film Premiere 2013 (Wales Millennium Centre)