04.BPA (Hons) in<strong>Contemporary</strong> <strong>Dance</strong>The Technical TrainingThe range <strong>of</strong> technical training undertakenat NSCD is designed to develop a highlevel <strong>of</strong> skill and versatility combined withan understanding <strong>of</strong> movement whichenables the dancer to respond to the variedand changing demands <strong>of</strong> contemporarychoreography.Technique classes <strong>of</strong>fer a holistic approachto developing the body as an expressiveinstrument where strength, stamina andflexibility are progressed simultaneously.Fifteen to twenty hours per week areallocated to technique training andstudents are expected to supplement thiswork as necessary with their own physicalconditioning regime.The main technical elements <strong>of</strong> the courseare contemporary dance and classicalballet, which are normally taught every day.In order to develop strength and resilienceearly contemporary classes are normallyGraham based, with Cunningham basedtechnique introduced at a later stage.To complement this study students alsoexperience a range <strong>of</strong> Release-baseddance techniques and other somaticapproaches to movement. This structuredapproach is crucial to enabling thedevelopment <strong>of</strong> dance artists who are bothhighly skilled and adaptable.The BPA (Hons) in <strong>Contemporary</strong> <strong>Dance</strong> is a full-time threeyeartraining programme which aims to develop versatile danceartists with strong technical skills and deep artistic awareness.This is achieved through a rigorous curriculum predominantlyfocused on studio-based practice and creative exploration,underpinned by key elements <strong>of</strong> theoretical study.In order to maximise the effectiveness <strong>of</strong>this approach, and to cater <strong>for</strong> the differinglevels <strong>of</strong> experience, NSCD operates a‘vertical streaming’ system. Techniqueclasses are taught at seven levels, allowingstudents to be placed at the level whichbest meets their individual needs. Progressand application are continuously monitoredand students may be transferred to anotherlevel at any time.Per<strong>for</strong>mance OpportunitiesIt is vital <strong>for</strong> students to make theconnection between technical training,creative exploration and per<strong>for</strong>mance.Accordingly, per<strong>for</strong>mance study drawstogether these elements providing studentsacross all year groups with a variety <strong>of</strong>opportunities to per<strong>for</strong>m their own workand work created by visiting pr<strong>of</strong>essionalchoreographers.Per<strong>for</strong>mance projects are directlyconcerned with preparing students<strong>for</strong> a successful per<strong>for</strong>ming career.Emphasis is placed on communicationthrough per<strong>for</strong>mance and on realisingchoreographic ideas and intentions.Integral to this approach is an on-goingprogramme <strong>of</strong> visiting pr<strong>of</strong>essionalchoreographers who introduce studentsto different choreographic methods andstyles. Completed per<strong>for</strong>mance projectsare presented at NSCD’s Riley Theatre andother venues. Further in<strong>for</strong>mation aboutthe pr<strong>of</strong>essional choreographers who havecreated work <strong>for</strong> NSCD can be found atwww.nscd.ac.ukChoreographyNSCD’s approach is founded on thebelief that creative exploration and growthare central to the developing danceartist. Choreographic study is designedto nurture individual artistic expressionand to challenge and deepen students’understanding <strong>of</strong> choreographic andcreative processes.The nature <strong>of</strong> choreography is exploredthrough an in-depth investigation <strong>of</strong> itsexpressive elements and through thedevelopment <strong>of</strong> movement language andper<strong>for</strong>mance contexts. This study is furtherextended through a consideration <strong>of</strong> therelationship between dance and othermodes <strong>of</strong> artistic expression such as music,visual art and literature.Through specific tasks and assignmentsstudents are encouraged to explore areas<strong>of</strong> individual artistic interest and to developtheir own choreographic voice.Movement StudiesThe Movement Studies course involvesresearch into movement as a source<strong>of</strong> individual artistic growth, promotingthe development <strong>of</strong> a diverse range <strong>of</strong>physical and expressive skills. Courseworkalso focuses on developing students’ability to generate and experiment withnew movement material, to reflect onthe creative processes involved and toarticulate the findings.Contextual StudiesContextual study supports the technical,creative and per<strong>for</strong>mance elements <strong>of</strong> thedegree programme. Specific areas <strong>of</strong> studyinclude:Year 1Critical and Reflective StudiesAn exploration <strong>of</strong> current contemporarydance practice through investigation <strong>of</strong>historical and theoretical perspectives andreflection on personal practice.Physical Awareness and DevelopmentA practical and theoretical exploration<strong>of</strong> anatomical and physiologicalconsiderations <strong>for</strong> the dancer, including thecauses and prevention <strong>of</strong> injury and issuesrelated to fitness, nutrition and well-being.<strong>Contemporary</strong> MusicDesigned to develop and extendunderstanding <strong>of</strong> contemporary musicand its relationship to choreography andper<strong>for</strong>mance.Year 2Ideas in ArtA study <strong>of</strong> the wider context <strong>of</strong> contemporarydance and its relationship to other art <strong>for</strong>mssuch as music, visual art, theatre and film.Students can choose to build on this studyby focusing on a specific independentresearch project in their final year.Year 3<strong>Dance</strong> Artists in EducationAn opportunity <strong>for</strong> students to developpractical teaching skills that can betransferred <strong>for</strong> use in a range <strong>of</strong> educationor community settings.<strong>Dance</strong> and Media ArtsStudents undertake a practical andtheoretical investigation into the use <strong>of</strong> filmand multimedia technologies in the creation<strong>of</strong> dance per<strong>for</strong>mance.Collaborative Arts ProjectStudents have the opportunity to explore thenature <strong>of</strong> collaborative working processesthrough their participation in an intensivecreative project. This project presents thepossibility <strong>of</strong> working with artists from otherdisciplines to produce interdisciplinary workwhich may be presented in a variety <strong>of</strong>per<strong>for</strong>mance settings.Supplementary CoursesIn addition to the taught elements, arange <strong>of</strong> short supplementary coursescomplement studies across theprogramme. These courses provideimportant experiences that draw uponkey ideas in<strong>for</strong>ming contemporary dancetraining and per<strong>for</strong>mance practice,including disciplines such as PhysicalTheatre, Contact Improvisation,Feldenkrais Method and Yoga.Entry RequirementsEntry is through successful audition andinterview. Normally candidates should haveattained 5 GCSE passes and 2 ‘A’ levelpasses. Equivalent qualifications such as aBTEC National Diploma, 4 Scottish Highersor 4 ‘AS’ level passes are also acceptable,depending on the strength <strong>of</strong> the gradesachieved. If applicants do not have therelevant academic qualifications a specialentry procedure is available. Details canbe obtained at the audition.year one choreography with Kathinka Waltercollaborative arts project collaborative arts project collaborative arts project
A final year degree studentimprovising in the studioat NSCD during a weeklongresidency with TiltedProductions.
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