At Mechanics’ Performing Arts we deliver a full-time Higher National Diploma
in Performing Arts (Dance) that is designed to train performers, choreographers
and dance practitioners at a higher level for those who wish to pursue a career
within the dance industry. This course provides professional dance training in
Commercial, Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Choreography, Conditioning and
community dance teaching. After this course many of our graduates convert this
qualification into a BA Hons by studying a further years training of a BA Top-Up
course. Many of our graduates decide to continue studying at Mechanics’
Performing Arts to study on to further study their own tailor made BA Hons
Top-Up Degree in Performance Industries.
We have close links to many areas of the industry and our graduates are now
working all around the world in a variety of different employment areas
including on cruises, professional dance companies, freelancing, dance teaching.
Our students take part in industry led days where artists from across the
industry, such as casting and talent agents, professional artists and our own
graduates come and inform our students of current aspects needed for a
successful career in today’s industry.
The units you'll study have been specially chosen to enable you to develop
technical and performance skills, to achieve a sound knowledge of the industry
and give you optimum scope for accessing further study or employment. Our
students take part in a variety of internal and external projects with termly
performances to provide as many performance platforms as possible.
Performance platforms have included Phoenix Dance Theatre Platform, Fresh
Dance Platform, Move it, Can You Dance, collaboration with professional dance
artists, corporate businesses and commercial adverts. Your study will provide
you with the opportunity to apply your experience in the studios to a diverse
range of performance spaces such as community-based contexts, choreographic
projects, and professional theatres.
Through practical classes you will develop a wide range of dance performance
techniques drawn from the work of world-renowned choreographers. You will grow
as technical dancers, experience a range of dance classes which will increase
your strength, flexibility and versatility. Dancers undertake weekly
conditioning classes to improve their dance fitness and develop new skills.
Additionally, students have opportunities to develop acrobatic skills within
conditioning classes throughout the course. At certain times of the year
students have also undertaken some aerial and silks training to enhance their
skills further.
All projects and performances are linked to the performing arts industry to
give a real flavour of working as a dancer, choreographer, teacher and theorist.
A variety of teaching and learning methods are used to encourage and facilitate
your creative and artistic development and bring together practice and theory.
Independent and collaborative learning will be encouraged through use of
practical workshops, interactive lectures, resource-based learning, individual
and group work, tutorials, discussion, critiques, performances, and
rehearsals.
