- This is the only BFA Dance degree currently offered in the UK.
- Spend four years focusing on your development as a dance artist, in preparation for a portfolio career in dance and the arts.
- Roehampton has a global reputation. We are rated number one for dance research in the UK (Research Excellence Framework 2014).
- Our international, friendly and diverse community of students, and team of leading dance experts, provide a supportive environment for building your professional dance experience.
- In year four, you will have opportunities for work placement and internships in London or further afield.
UndergraduateDance (BFA)
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Summary
Join our Dance BFA and become an innovator in the field of dance. Integrate dance practice, critical thinking and contemporary theory with performance, choreography and production experience to launch your professional career in a way that's tailored to your individual goals.
This four-year degree will help you develop your own creative identity as a dance artist.
You will have many opportunities to extend your potential as a dancer, engaging with dance as it is seen and performed in broad multicultural and artistic contexts.
At the heart of this course is dance-making, underpinned by our internationally-recognised research disciplines within the Department of Dance.
Working in a variety of settings, you will engage in dance performance, choreography, improvisation, mediated choreography and dramaturgy.
You will develop a wide understanding of dance practice, taking classes in ballet, Cunningham, Graham, Limón, release and contact improvisation, and work closely with experienced teachers, professional dancers and choreographers in classes with live music.
You will be able to refine your dance practice in our spacious studios, designated Screendance facilities and well-equipped theatre.
This unique four-year degree is designed to develop your confidence, knowledge and identity as a dance artist, as you locate your creative process in the exciting and expanding field of dance.
Content
Our Dance BFA integrates theory and contemporary dance practice, allowing you to gain knowledge in the scientific, philosophical and historical foundations of dance.
You will be taught by our leading dance experts, who will encourage you to think about dance beyond performance, and focus on dance-making in a creative environment.
You will learn how to underpin your practice with research in choreography and performance, alongside the study of dance in its historical, social, cultural and digital contexts.
You will have opportunities to pursue your career interests, using London as a hub of international dance culture.
We offer extracurricular dance classes and the chance to take part in performances, choreographic platforms and an annual summer dance festival, to help you acquire valuable experiences and skills alongside your academic studies.
There is also a popular study abroad option in year two.
In year four, you are encouraged to specialise, learning about curating and producing dance, and teaching dance in a variety of settings.
Modules
Here are examples of the modules we currently offer:
Year 1
Dance Practice 1
Dance Performance 1
Thinking Through Dance 1
Thinking Through Dance 2
Thinking Through Dance Project
Improvisation and Dance Composition
Year 2
Practice modules
Dance Practice 2
Dance Performance 2
Students are required to take both of the following:
Dance Science in Practice
Dance Analysis and Philosophy of Dance
Students take one of the following three modules:
Choreography and Collaboration
Choreography and Site
Choreography and Improvisation
Students take one of the Independent Study modules:
Dance International Report
Extended Essay
Year 3
Practice modules
Dance Practice 3
Dance Performance 3
Students are required to take both of the following modules:
Dance, Science and Somatics
Dance Philosophy and Aesthetics
Students take one of the following modules:
Dramaturgy and Collaborative Practice
From Process to Product
Vocational set module
The Teaching Artist
Applied Lighting and Production for Dance
Screendance
Year 4
Independent study module
Practice modules
Dance Practice 4
Dance Performance 4
Students take one of the following modules:
Teaching Dance Practice
Events Curation and Production
Vocational work-based module
Placement/Internship
Compulsory and Required modules
Compulsory and/or required modules may change when we review and update programmes. Above is a list of modules offered this academic year.
Optional modules
Optional modules, when offered as part of a programme, may vary from year to year and are subject to viability.
Career options
Graduates of this programme will be well prepared with the knowledge and skills to engage with the Dance industry in a range of career options including choreography, performance, dance production, community dance and teaching dance. Graduates will also gain experience in developing professional networks which will include dance companies, institutions and agencies specialising in dance research and policymaking for Dance.