Course Consultant: Steven Brett
Course Director & Artistic Director, Intoto Dance: Sue Booker
The final year of study is designed for advanced students wishing to pursue a career in contemporary dance. It concentrates on creative individual interpretation in performance, enhancing the students’ technique and command of the stage. It aims to foster the thinking dancer, as one who has the technical skills, intellectual grasp and physical and emotional maturity to work successfully in a professional environment.
In addition to a daily classical ballet class, specially geared towards the contemporary dancer, there are courses based on Graham and Cunningham techniques. There are also classes in contemporary dance repertoire, natural movement/creative studies and contact improvisation, Limón technique, choreography, isolation technique, contemporary music and voice. The study of these subjects in this professional option is further extended by a variety of classes aimed at keeping abreast of current developments. Workshops and masterclasses, designed to expand and nourish the students’ imaginative and creative abilities, are given by artistic directors and choreographers from leading contemporary companies and other potential employers.
Steven Brett acts as course consultant, contributing his wide-ranging expertise in the field of contemporary dance.
"...nourish imaginative and creative abilities"
INTOTO DANCE
The second half of the third year is devoted to working with a touring company, Intoto Dance. The company was formed in 1992 to provide final year students with performing experience and the opportunity to work with established choreographers. Intoto is fortunate to have attracted some of the foremost contemporary choreographers in this country, who have created works especially for the company. The development of young choreographic talent is also a priority. The company’s repertoire includes works by Liz Aggiss & Billy Cowie, Lea Anderson, Mark Baldwin, Rafael Bonachela, Laurie Booth, Kim Brandstrup, Marina Collard, Ben Craft, Javier De Frutos, Sarah Dowling, Ben Duke, Darren Ellis, Séan Feldman, Yael Flexer, Antonia Grove, Charlotte Hacker, Shobana Jeyasingh, Steve Kirkham, Gary Lambert, Martin Lawrance, Liz Lea, Rem Lee, Cameron McMillan, David Massingham, Stephen Mear, Vivienne Newport, Kerry Nicholls, Bonnie Oddie, Henri Oguike, Ramón Oller, Sally Owen, Arthur Pita, Michael Popper, La Ribot, Luca Silvestrini, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Janet Smith, Yolande Snaith, Ian Spink, Melanie Teall, Lisa Torun, Fin Walker, David Waring, Anna Williams, Sheron Wray and Yolande Yorke-Edgell.
We have extensive contacts within the professional contemporary dance world and have had the pleasure of helping students find their first jobs in companies such as Rambert Dance Company, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, The Featherstonehaughs, The Cholmondeleys, Extemporary Dance Company, Adventures in Motion Pictures, New Adventures, Richard Alston Dance Company, Sakoba Dance Theatre, Retina Dance Company, Union Dance, RJC Dance Productions, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Compagnie Fabienne Berger (Switzerland) and Compañia Metros (Spain). Students have been engaged also as independent dancers in a variety of prestigious projects, including Dance Collective, Lorent Ballet and the Susanne Norwood Company, as well as appearing in operas with The Royal Opera and English National Opera and in films for both BBC Television and Channel 4. Many graduates have created their own work, which has been performed by their own and other companies and been presented at important platforms such as The Place’s Resolution! season.