NSCD MA in Contemporary Dance Performance - VERVE (Postgraduate Performance Company)

MA in Contemporary Dance Performance – VERVE (Postgraduate Performance Company)

This one-year, full-time programme offers students a safe and inspiring space to grow as artists, rigorously challenging their physical skill and building an understanding of the professional working environment.

create | learn | inspire

VERVE is the postgraduate company of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

The MA equips students with Professional performance skills as members of a touring contemporary dance company. Each year VERVE commissions choreographers to create a distinct, engaging, and thought provoking programme of work.

The programme offers emerging dance artists the opportunity to challenge and develop their skills across a varied repertoire of work, guided by the Artistic Director, alongside an exciting range of guest teachers and visiting artists. The programme enables students to take creative risk with their practice, to grow their individual artistry and develop their identity as performers.

VERVE undertakes a tour across the UK and to selected international venues, seeking connections with partner institutions, industry professionals, choreographers, and companies, to broaden and enrich the dancers’ understanding of the professional dance world.

VERVE works with established and emerging choreographers, giving dancers an appreciation of the breadth of what is happening in dance. Choreographers who have worked with the company include, Akram Khan, Gemma Nixon and Jonathan Goddard, Ben Wright, Ben Duke, James Wilton, Kerry Nicholls, Anton Lachky, James Cousins, Luca Silvestrini, Lea Anderson and Frauke Requardt.

Photo: Students with guest choreographer Douglas Thorpe

Course overview 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 undertake a substantial independent or collaborative project and carry out research at an advanced level. The research project facilitates in-depth investigation into an aspect of contemporary dance practice, likely to be drawn from the experience and learning encountered through the course.

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 VERVE 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 were 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.

"I have always regarded Northern School of Contemporary Dance as a home to me, everyone is so welcoming and supportive.

I went on to complete both the Access to HE Diploma in Contemporary Dance and the degree. Even when given the opportunity to study elsewhere, I just couldn’t imagine it.

Course validated by

The school is very good at bringing in various current artists within the industry to deliver workshops/classes/mock auditions.

The school has done more for me than you could possibly imagine. The training is superb, the staff are second to none and the whole atmosphere makes you feel like you’re part of a huge family."

Martha Gosnold, VERVE

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

nscd.ac.uk