Bath Spa University

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Dance

A unique opportunity to explore contemporary choreography and performance practice, including inter-disciplinary, collaborative, and digital media work.

For more information about this course please visit the School of Music and Performing Arts website.

This programme allows you to develop practical and theoretical dance skills through choreography, technique and performance, analysis, research, interdisciplinary work and digital technology (film and sound). This generates many possibilities for interaction and collaboration, enabling the making of new and cutting-edge work that challenges both the live and the digital performance space.

You will develop an individual choreographic and performance style and the imagination, confidence and ability to apply your knowledge, experience and skills to a wide range of contexts. Your creative and imaginative ability will be progressively developed and tutors will encourage you to produce work of the highest standards at all times.

As you develop practical skills, you will also be rigorously investigating the theories that underpin them. You will consider issues of representation and meaning through theoretical and practical study, referring to the work of known choreographers and through personal investigations into crafting approaches and processes.

In addition to working with the programme's committed and highly experienced staff team, we offer you the chance to work with a variety of professional choreographers and to audition for our dynamic dance company, SW!TCHED. You will also have the opportunity to work in different venues, to collaborate with other artists and work with members of your peer group. You will undertake a dance placement that will prepare you for the dance-related industries and also enable you to investigate an area of specific interest.

On graduating you may choose to study further at postgraduate level, or to find work, in areas such as choreography, performance, education, film, community dance, dance therapy, dance administration or a combination of more than one area of interest. Our graduates are well equipped to become the exciting and innovative practitioners of the future.

Course Structure and Content

If you study dance as a Specialised Award you will explore choreography, performance and digital media. If you study dance as a Combined Award you will study choreography and performance.

Year 1

• Choreography: Constructing the Body*;
• Collaborative Practice: Ensemble Work*;
• Movement Technique and Improvisation: Dance Training;
• Movement Technique and Improvisation: Somatic Practice*;
• Interdisciplinary Practice: Digital Media and Performance.

Year 2

• Choreography: Body as a Conscious Site*;
• Collaborative Practice: Working with Composers and other Artists*;
• Movement Technique and Improvisation: Dance Training;
• Movement Technique and Improvisation: Contact Improvisation*;
• Interdisciplinary Practice: Dance on Camera.

Year 3

• Choreography: Research, Dissertation and Professional Portfolio*;
• Movement Technique and Improvisation: Dance Training;
• Movement Technique and Improvisation: Somatic Research*;
• Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Practice: Intermedia Performance*.

* Available for Combined Award students.

Visiting Companies and Artists 2005-2009

Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company; Bedlam Dance Company; Earthfall; Gill Clarke; Siobhan Davies and Company; Wendy Houston; Nigel Charnock; Precarious; Silesian Dance Theatre; Liam Steel (Stan Won't Dance); Yael Flexer; Jessica Cohen; Sean King; Arthur Pitta; Helen Bagget; Stuart Lynch.

Teaching Methods and Resources

A variety of approaches for both practical and theoretical work. Lectures, workshops, seminars and choreographic laboratories are led by qualified staff, visiting choreographers and artists. You will work in the main dance studio - which is fully equipped for choreography, performance and work with digital media - and in the new University Theatre building.

Assessment Methods

Methods include practical projects (choreography and performance), essays, portfolios and seminar presentations.

Entry Requirements

220-260 UCAS Tariff points (eg BCD; BB+AS c) with min 80 points from Dance or Performing Arts preferred; or dance experience outside education.

Alternative qualifications welcome.

You will be asked to attend an audition.