MA Dance Performance and Professional Practices
Manchester, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 16,380 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* full-time International students; Home students £10,590 per year
Introduction
This MA Dance Performance and Professional Practices programme is a professionally focused course, co-designed and co-delivered with our industry partner, Joss Arnott Dance (JAD). In this intensive course, you will focus on contemporary dance and contemporary dance performance at the highest level. As part of the MA Post Graduate Dance Company, Emergence, you will work with internationally acclaimed choreographers to produce a programme of new performance works each year.
This course addresses the wider needs of the dance professional and includes modules that focus on producing, teaching workshop design and delivery, and practice as research. You’ll also expand on your skills by undertaking Emergence company roles throughout the year in marketing, social media design, production, and rehearsal directing. As part of the tour, you’ll be involved in both production and workshop delivery, giving you real-world experience working in the industry.
This prestigious and highly selective programme has industry collaboration at its very heart and mirrors working environments in the creative industries. Join us to expand yourself as a performer, an artist, a collaborator, and a well-rounded dance professional in the thriving cultural scene in Salford and Manchester.
You will:
- Develop as a performer through opportunities to work with Joss Arnott and Internationally acclaimed choreographers
- Enhance your ability as both a professional dancer and dance professional, developing your skills as a creative entrepreneur and enabling you to pursue a long-term career in dance
- Have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant arts and performance scene in Salford and Manchester, and expand your creative horizons with a national tour
- Create a portfolio of work and experience that can be used in your wider career
Ideal Students
This is for you if...
- You are an early career dance professional who is a brave and engaging performer, and a committed collaborator.
- You are ready for an intensive and rewarding learning experience.
- You have a strong technical base in contemporary dance, in addition to a willingness to experiment creatively and a hunger to develop as a professional dance artist.
Curriculum
If you’re an emerging or established dancer who wants to add another dimension to your performance technique, as well as gain an understanding of what it’s like to dance professionally, our MA dance course is for you.
Your first trimester will lay the foundations for your time in this master’s programme. Alongside your fellow students and In the first trimester, you will work creatively with international choreographers to devise new pieces of repertory. You will develop your choreographic and reflective skills as a developing dance artist.
In your second trimester, you will begin to hone your skills as a performer and ensemble member, as you rehearse and refine the Emergence repertoire ready for touring. As well as continuing to develop your dance technique and performance skills, you’ll look at professional elements of the dance industry, including producing for small to mid-scale touring, and teaching dance in both curriculum-based and community dance settings.
Your final trimester will take you through the performance and professional practices involved in touring. You may be involved in elements such as workshop delivery, supporting the tour producer, engaging with the technical team, and more. As well as this, you’ll put together your practice as a research dissertation where you’ll be researching an area of your choice, to develop innovative performances and research outputs.
Semester one
- Dance Repertory Development
Semester two
- Personal And Ensemble Development
- Approaches To Dance Pedagogy
Students have a choice of a second module option in semester two, choosing from one of the following two modules:
- Producing For Small/Mid-Scale Touring
- Teaching Strategy And Design In Dance
Semester three
- Practice-As-Research Project/Dissertation
- Dance Performance Practices
Career Opportunities
If you study for a Master’s in dance performance, you’ll be well-positioned to forge a career as a professional dancer working freelance, as a performer within an established dance company, as a creative educator, or in a portfolio career inclusive of arts marketing and administration.
Graduates have been successful in gaining employment with: Joss Arnott Dance New Adventures, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Beijing Dance Theatre, ACE Dance and Music, Company Chameleon, Lisa Simpson Dance, Tavaziva, Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, Springs Dance Company, Coalesce Dance Theatre, Kapow amongst many others.
Many other graduates have developed their teaching portfolio and are working with organisations such as The Centre for Advanced Training, KTDanceworks, Ludus Dance, and Yorkshire Dance Centre.
We’re very proud that graduates have developed their own companies and have been in receipt of ACE funding and other national grants for the Arts,
Studying this course will equip you with a wide range of transferrable skills that can be used in a variety of roles and industries. You’ll be able to generate, develop and present your ideas to a professional standard, as well as have strong research and evaluation skills, all of which are highly valued by employers.