NSCD MA in Contemporary Dance - PAS (Professional Apprenticeship Scheme)

MA in Contemporary Dance Performance – PAS (Professional Apprenticeship Scheme)

This one-year, full-time programme provides an opportunity for students to undertake extensive professional development and refine their skills as performers, whilst being apprentices with professional dance companies.

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The distinctiveness of this pathway lies in the offer of a work placement with a professional dance company of between five and nine months.

Students work alongside professional dancers at their chosen host company.

They experience the creation, rehearsal, production and touring of a professional performance programme or project, including any related education and community outreach work. Whilst on their placement, students are supported by a tutor at NSCD. The placement experience is supplemented by a wide range of technical and creative work delivered at NSCD, including performance platforms, class with VERVE and research-based activities. Crucially, apprentices develop an understanding of the wider skills required of a professional dance artist.

Due to the bespoke matching of individuals to companies, a significant number of apprenticeship scheme graduates secure professional employment with their host companies, following their placement.

Companies in which students have previously been placed include: — 2faced Dance Company — ACE dance and music — bgroup — Company Chameleon — Phoenix Dance Theatre — Protein Dance — BlackBox Dance Company (Denmark) — Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company — Mark Bruce Dance Company Key Themes explored within the programme are: Stage one: 120 credits (leading to the award of PG Dip in Contemporary Dance Performance) — Dance Technique — Company Module (Rehearsal, Professional behaviour & application, Public Performance) Stage two: 60 Credits (Leading to Award of MA in Contemporary Dance Performance) — Research Project (term 3) Research project (leading to the qualification of MA) During the third term of study (usually early June to August) students embark on an advanced level research project.

Cover image Witness by Company Chameleon Dancer: Alexander Evens Photographer: Joel Chester Fildes

The research project facilitates indepth investigation into an aspect of contemporary dance practice, likely to be drawn from the experience and learning encountered through the PAS programme.

The MA stage of study is characterised by self-directed research, with the guidance of a supervising tutor or mentor. Students who do not complete this term of study (Stage Two) may be eligible for an award of Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Dance Performance.

Employment PAS students have excellent employment prospects and are finding work with large and small scale dance companies and as independent artists. A number of employment offers have been made whilst students are still in training.

Entry Requirements Entry is through successful audition, interview and written task. Our postgraduate programmes are open to graduates of two/three year dance training programmes at higher education level or to dance artists with some professional experience.

Please note: PAS is not open to applications from international students due to UKVI restrictions.

Photo: Richard Moran Dancer: Carmen Vasquez Marfil joined Phoenix Dance Theatre in 2013 following her PAS placement through NSCD.

Course validated by

"I have a lot more freedom and, dare I say it, maturity in my movement and practice when I think back to how I was during my degree. I now understand the purpose of reflection, studying and understanding how my body works anatomically in addition to aesthetically. I’m passionate about art philosophy and theory in art philosophy and theory in combination with performance art and the medium of film so want to explore this in more depth."

Charlotte Arnold, PAS

Northern School of Contemporary Dance 98 Chapeltown Road, Leeds LS7 4BH T 0113 219 3000 E info@nscd.ac.uk /northernschool @NorthernSchool

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