BA (Hons) Dance Education and Teaching

Program Overview

This BA (Hons) Dance Education and Teaching degree combines daily technique classes and theoretical studies, preparing students to effectively teach dance in various settings such as education, professional, and community contexts. Through practical work, research projects, and international exchange opportunities, graduates develop professional dance teaching skills while exploring choreographic techniques and dance-related careers.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Develop your skills as a dance practitioner and explore teaching in a range of settings. Our BA (Hons) Dance Education and Teaching degree prepares you to teach dance in a variety of settings as you develop your technique in daily classes, explore wider dance theory and applications, and gain vital work experience in professional settings.

Objectives:

• Learn to teach dance in educational, professional, and community settings.
• Take daily dance technique classes in a range of styles, including contemporary technique and ballet.
• Perform regularly including at end of semester shows.
• Join a close dance community and work with dance students from other courses.
• Learn from experienced and sector-active dance practitioners and researchers.
• Have the opportunity to complete an international exchange.

Outline:

Year One:

• Dance Techniques 1: Daily technique classes to develop performance and dance understanding.
Refine technical skills through reflective practice.
• Examining Dance History: Introduction to key figures who shaped Theatre Dance (Ballet and/or Modern and Contemporary Dance practice) in the USA, UK, and Europe.
Explore wider artistic, cultural, and political contexts.
• Movement Studies: Analysis, Genre & Style: Practical sessions informed by established models of practice and underpinned with theoretical insight.
Use Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) to develop an understanding of body, shape, space, and effort in theory and practice.
• Applications of Psychology in Dance: Introduction to the diverse areas of psychology explored throughout the degree, including dance performance, health and wellbeing, or skill acquisition and teaching.
• Choreography and Devising: Introduction to choreographic techniques, structures, and working methods to develop choreographic skill.
Complete a tutor-led group performance to engage creatively with current choreographic processes, strategies, and direction.

Year Two:

• Dance Techniques 2: Expand knowledge of dance technique to incorporate development of movement memory, use of timing and musicality, use of space, and experiential learning through improvisational techniques.
• Safe Dance Practice: Address the five knowledge areas identified by Safe in Dance International (SiDI) and their 10 associated core principles of healthy dance practice.
Cover topics such as health and safety in the dance environment, injury reduction and management, anatomical and biomechanical principles of alignment, and psychological aspects of dance practice. Examine key organizations and philosophies of teaching dance.
• Research Methodologies: Develop a model for the future dissertation project by building on study skills and knowledge of dance gained on the course.
• Improvisation & Performance: Focus on further development of performance skills and vocabulary from solo to group improvisation.
Explore spontaneous compositional practice within group situations, relationship possibilities, and the development of awareness, kinaesthetic, spatial, and aural skills.
• Composing Dances: Broaden choreographic experience through the development of group pieces using a tutor-identified research source.
Focus on compositional processes and structural devices.
• Performance & Place: Explore site-specific, non-theatre based dance and performance work.
Consider site as a source for devising choreography alongside theoretical ideas of space and place, and explores how space or location informs the content of site-dance performance.

Year Three:

• Dance Techniques 3: Explore how corporeal expressivity manifests the embodiment of breath, flow, weight, skeletal articulation, and use of timing, space, and focus required for skillful dance performance.
• Choreographic Projects: Research, direct, and develop a work of choreography.
• Dissertation Project: Demonstrate a systematic understanding of a key area of dance practice or research.
Use a combination of written and/or practical methodologies to explore a research area of personal interest informed by aspects of the discipline.
• Applied Dance: Community, Production & Administration: Undertake a work placement in a dance-related role, such as dance administration, technical production, or community dance.
• Teaching Dance Technique: Build on experience from Teaching Dance Technique and further develop teaching skills to effectively deliver dance lesson content to different groups of participants.
• Teaching Dance & Creative Practice: Hone skills for the effective delivery of dance lesson content to different groups of participants.

Assessment:

Typical study weeks include:

• Daily dance technique classes
• Supplemental training practices
• Choreography classes
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Studio-based workshops

Careers:

This BA (Hons) Dance Education and Teaching degree prepares you to pursue a career teaching dance in a range of settings. Future career options include:

• Teacher in primary, secondary, further, and higher education (with postgraduate study)
• Worker in a youth dance company (leading and teaching)
• Community dance artist
• Dance movement psychotherapist (with postgraduate study)
• Postgraduate study and research student

Other:

Our lecturers and dance tutors are all experienced, professional, and practicing choreographers, technique tutors, dance practitioners, and dance science specialists. As part of your dance course, you can take part in an international exchange programme during your second year, as you experience new cultures whilst you continue your dance training.