Performing Arts (Dance) Higher National Diploma - HND

The course 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 on the BA Hons Top-Up Degree in Performance Industries.

We have close links to many areas of the industry and our graduates are now working in a variety of different employment areas including on cruise ships, professional dance companies, freelancing and 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.

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, Move it, Can You Dance, and collaborations with professional dance artists, corporate businesses and commercial adverts. Your study will provide you with the opportunity to apply your experience in the studio 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 recognised choreographers. You will grow as technical dancers, through experiencing 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.