A new dance qualification has been created by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in partnership with Scottish Ballet in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the performing arts.
The Professional Graduate Diploma in Modern Ballet is a one-year postgraduate qualification to help dancers take the next step in their professional training. It’s designed to “bridge the gap” to the industry and is tailored for dancers who wish to develop their artistry, enhance employability and collaborate with some of the dance world’s leading figures.
The course, which starts in September this year, will work with the best graduates from across the globe to offer additional professional-level dance training, performing opportunities and the chance to undertake classes and rehearsals with Scotland’s national dance company, Scottish Ballet.
Kerry Livingstone, head of ballet at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said, “The Professional Graduate Diploma in Modern Ballet is responsive to the changing arts landscape due to the global pandemic. It offers an exciting and enriching next step for dancers who want to continue to develop their skills and technique in ballet and contemporary dance to ensure they’re fully equipped to enter the industry. It’s an opportunity to strengthen their experience of working at company level, which will enhance employability, and students will benefit from individual support for audition preparation.”
Livingstone continued, “On the creative side, dancers will collaborate with professional choreographers in the creation of commissioned works and engage with industry experts on the learning, rehearsal and performance of existing company repertoire. The diploma also opens the doors to classes and rehearsals at the studios of the world-renowned Scottish Ballet, with additional performance opportunities for some students with the company in its touring productions.”
The Professional Graduate Diploma in Modern Ballet, which will have no more than 12 students, will run from September to June, and is structured to reflect a company environment.
In a typical week, students will have a daily company-level class, followed by additional sessions that will include rehearsals, coaching and opportunities to create new choreography. Students will work individually with tutors on technique and repertoire solos, in preparation for auditions and employment. There will also be sessions at Scottish Ballet where they’ll work with company members where appropriate.
The academic year will be divided into three terms, with performance and choreographic opportunities in all three. The program will be delivered through a blended learning approach but will be predominantly in-person and on-campus at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s purpose-built dance studios at the Wallace Studios campus at Speirs Locks in Glasgow. The safety and well-being of students is a key priority and all in-person activity is undertaken under strict COVID safety guidelines.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a world top three destination for performing arts education (QS World University Rankings 2021). It offers a three-year BA in Modern Ballet delivered in partnership with Scottish Ballet, and graduate destinations include Scottish Ballet, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Northern Ballet, National Ballet of Portugal, Alberta Ballet, Universal Ballet Korea and National Theatre of Belgrade.
The Professional Graduate Diploma in Modern Ballet application deadline is 15 August. Applicants are expected to hold HE/FE qualifications representing three years of training.
For more information, including entry requirements, fees and funding, visit www.rcs.ac.uk/postgraduate/professional-graduate-diploma-modern-ballet.
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