The 3 year Professional Dance & Musical Theatre Degree is a rigorous programme of vocational training for aspiring professional performers. This outstanding programme of study trains performers to a professional, audition-ready level through the delivery of a detailed technical training in Dance and Musical Theatre disciplines.
After gaining a strong grounding in all Dance and Musical Theatre skills in year 1, students have the opportunity to focus the final 2 years of their training to develop the specific skills required for their desired employment. Throughout the course the rigour and complexity of training increases so that graduates develop the skills, knowledge and expertise necessary for a long and successful performing career, as well as the security of gaining a full BA (Hons) degree qualification to pave the way for life after a performing career.
- Practical skills developed extensively in a variety of different dance genres
- Singing and Acting techniques developed through group and individual practice
- Extensive performance opportunities to showcase students' learning
- Academic studies to support and develop understanding of contextual and critical studies
- Facilitates understanding of historical and cultural developments in Dance and Musical Theatre
What's involved?
This redesigned course builds on the HNC, further developing your acting skills and giving you the opportunity to perform in two large scale productions at professional venues with designated Tech crews. As part of the updating of this course, we are introducing a new Work Placement unit allowing you to apply your skills in a professional setting. You’ll also devise your own pieces and perform them to audiences in professional environments.
We’ll do everything we can to get you ready for the industry, including arranging professional head shots for your CV/biography, and helping you prepare for auditions.
Here’s more on what you’ll be doing:
- You’ll focus on acting, voice and movement, developing your skills and techniques to a high level.
- You’ll expand your production skills, and research, rehearse and perform a role in different styles of plays.
- You’ll explore different theatre styles, including historical context, social or political functions, staging, costume and acting conventions.
- You’ll look at devising theatre, including how scripts are created for live theatre and will prepare a piece of original theatre as part of a group.
- You’ll develop your directing skills.
- You’ll focus on professional development for actors and the knowledge and skills you’ll need for working in the industry. This includes areas for employment, methods of self-promotion, taxation requirements, representation and professional bodies.
The course gives you the opportunity to devise and perform a variety of pieces in different professional environments, including a community production tour at Christmas and a summer show in our newly renovated campus theatre.
You will be taught by staff who are industry experienced and robust in their knowledge of theatre and performance skills. This will enable you to hone your performance technique and aid you in reaching your maximum potential. All of your productions will be supported by our Technical Theatre course crews, to give you a truly professional experience.
Here’s more on what you’ll be doing:
- You will develop your vocal skills to aid with diction, vocal clarity, tone and projection.
- You will develop your movement skills providing you with an awareness of physicality for characterisation.
- You will develop knowledge and understanding of a touring theatre production company by engaging in a community drama project.
- You will create and perform your own Site Specific and/or Street theatre performance and perform in a location of your choice.
- You will develop acting skills for production, from researching a text, to rehearsing techniques and performing a full length production to an audience.
- You will be introduced to singing for an actor and develop your singing skills and technique.
- You will have the opportunity to create and lead your own workshop in a Community based setting. You will be given the opportunity to work with a range of groups, including children, young people and adults.
- You will be mentored in the creation of a professional online profile and introduced to external practitioners.
What is the course about?
You will spend most of your time on this course preparing for and working towards a performance in front of a live audience. This means working creatively with text and developing skills in voice, movement, acting and stagecraft.
You will learn to work cooperatively in teams, to respond to direction and, in so doing, also develop self-awareness and a professional attitude.
This drama masters reflects the contemporary professional world which calls for flexible, innovative practitioners who are willing and able to work across the full range of theatre and media. These roles might range from mainstream professional organisations to applied and community contexts.
Whether you are an experienced artist wishing to have the time and space to develop your practice, or starting out in your career as a theatre maker, drama practitioner, story-teller or educator, the MA Drama course will help you fulfil your potential.
The course has a high level of practical exploration, under-pinned by critical reflection, with excellent support and supervision. The over-riding ethos is on reflective practice: making work, writing about it, watching work, and exploring different approaches thoughtfully.
Though the emphasis is on theatre, there are opportunities to work through other media for those students with appropriate experience and aspirations.
An exciting course combining strong technical training, creative opportunities and industry experience. The course programme involves the study and practice of both traditional and innovative areas of musical performance. It includes in-depth vocal training, a wide range of acting techniques and technical dance training in jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary, pas de deux and commercial.
Key features
- Taught by professional performers, directors and choreographers
- 11 rehearsal studios, five with sprung dance floors and mirrors
- Professional-standard theatre with industry-level equipment, recently over-hauled with new lighting and sound systems
- Collaboration with make-up, costume and technical theatre students
- Alumni have been working in West End and UK touring shows, TV and film, and for many of the leading cruise ship entertainment companies
Recent alumni include Helen Woolf, who has been starring as Glinda on the Wicked UK tour having previously played the role in London’s West End; Alfie Parker, who has been performing in Kinky Boots having previously performed in School of Rock in London’s West End covering the lead role; and Blake Patrick Anderson who was in Starlight Express.
