Study dance abroad

Dance programs allow students to study their passion and hone their craft. It’s a great course for students looking to break into the field of performing arts.

Most dance programs are designed to improve your technique and performance. They’ll also encourage you to get creative with teaching and choreography and help you understand the science and theory behind movement. You’ll explore a range of dance styles and consider how they’ve been influenced by historical and cultural forces.

Dance is a global art form and most countries and cultures have their own traditions. By studying abroad, you’ll adopt elements of style and technique and become a more versatile, creative, and original dancer and choreographer. You’ll meet international professionals, explore the world, and make lifelong friends.

You can gain your dance education at both universities and specialist performing arts schools. Dance students will have a choice of various programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

A certificate of higher education is a one or two year course that will introduce you to the fundamental concepts of dance studies. The next level up is a two-year diploma of higher education where you’ll broaden your knowledge and research skills.

At the bachelor’s level, you can elect to study either a BA or a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) over three or four years. A BFA will require you to invest more hours and credit points into dance-specific modules compared to a regular BA.

Once you’ve completed your bachelor’s, you might consider undertaking either a research-focused MA, or a Master of Fine Arts (MFA), which is centered more around teaching. An MFA is the highest practical degree offered in dance. There are options to study a PhD in dance over four to seven years, but these are research projects with no practical element.

Most undergraduate dance programs are taught predominantly through practical classes, but you’ll also have some lectures, workshops, and seminars. Assessment will take the form of practical exams and portfolios, essays, presentations, and reports.

Core and elective dance modules vary widely between institutions, but here are some common areas of study:

• Dance technique
• Dance performance
• Dance management
• Principles of dance teaching and practice
• Fundamentals of choreography
• Dance in the community
• Dance history
• Cultural trends in dance

A dance degree is a stepping stone that will help you make your mark in the field of performing arts. Your knowledge of dance genres, history, and choreography will be invaluable if you choose to pursue any of the following careers:

• Dancer
• Choreographer
• Dance teacher
• Community arts worker
• Theater director
• Actor
• Talent agent
• Dance movement psychotherapist

The field of performing arts is famously competitive. It’s a good idea to join your university’s dance society and undertake work experience with companies so that you’ll be a stand-out applicant.