MA Performance
Dance
The MA Performance Dance is entering its fifth year, growing from a longstanding tradition of postgraduate study in dance at Chichester. Offering dance artists at different stages of their artistic lives the chance to undertake a Masters degree or Diploma level in the UK’s leading Practice as Research department, the programme enables students to develop their dance practice as a performer or choreographer with the university’s touring performance company, or as an independent researcher, individually or in collaboration with other artists. There are also opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research with interactive technologies or to market yourself professionally as an artist using DVD and website technologies.
The MA forms part of the lively research culture within the Faculty of Business, Arts and Humanities which includes regular research presentations, performances, installations and exhibitions. Students study with nationally and internationally renowned arts researchers including Yael Flexer, Ann Nugent, Sarah Rubidge, Jill Hayes, Andrea Davidson and Marisa Zanotti and also with our visiting Research Fellows: Elliot Caplan famous for his pioneering screendance work with Merce Cunningham, Dr. Carole Browne and Dr. Alistair Macdonald.
The MA Performance Dance has 3 routes:
Students on the Performers’ route join mapdance company (Artistic Directors, Yael Flexer and Detta Howe). Working intensively with international guest choreographers, students develop their technical and performance skills and deepen understanding of the creative process. mapdance operates as a professional company with daily technique classes and rehearsals. From mid-February to May, the company tours nationally and internationally whilst also offering educational workshops. Choreographers have included: Pete Shenton (New Art Club); Bettina Strickler (Protein); Kerry Nichols (K/N/D/C); Nik Haffner (Ex Forsythe) and Liz Aggiss. The 2008/09 Repertory is being created with Ben Wright, Shobana Jeyasingh, Charles Linehan and exciting new talent Laila Diallo.
The Makers’ route offers students the opportunity to explore and expand on their existing choreographic practice within a dynamic research environment. The course embraces practices which place choreography in diverse contexts with staff currently working in dance-theatre, new media and dance film, site-specific and installation work. The Compositional Practice module is complemented by the professional performance programme and a series of seminars by visiting artists and researchers. Classes function as a lab for development, and collaborative interdisciplinary projects are encouraged. Students’ projects have included a performance installation utilising Isadora software, a site sensitive performance and residency in a local nursing home alongside projects exploring movement based choreographies. Makers are apprenticed to visiting choreographers and may apply for the mapdance touring commission.
Students taking the Independent Researchers’ route develop their knowledge and skills through a wide range of creative and theoretical options to produce a project of their own. Emphasising the link between practice and theory, this will centre on a creative initiative such as the production of a film or a lecture demonstration, and is tailor made to suit individuals. In each case students write a paper expanding on the processes involved – or they produce a fully written paper. Students work with guidance from a supervisor and attend group seminars. Recent independent projects have focused on choreographic practices for secondary school students; an investigation into Kurt Jooss’s Green Table and questions of authenticity, a solo work exploring Strindberg’s The Stronger and a study on Dyslexia in dance students.
The performers’, makers’ and independent researchers’ pathways operate in the context of a professional performance programme and a series of presentations by visiting artists and researchers, for example Gill Clark, Lucy Cash, Becky Edwards, Kevin Finnan, Fiona Wright and Liz Aggiss. Practice is also developed through a module entitled Reflective Practice that leads students towards a deepened understanding of Practice as Research. This module importantly includes a choreographic lab led by a leading practitioner in the field. Guest lecturers on the MA have included practitioners and curators all working at the edges of dance research – Rosie Lee, choreographer and video artist, Mark Jeffery, performer (Goat Island), curator and maker, Lea Anderson and Scott Smith.
Why this course?
The MA Performance: Dance enables you to develop your dance pracice in a university context: as a performer or choreographer in the university's touring performance company or as an independant researcher, individually or in collaboration with other artists. There are also opportunities to engage with cutting edge research into interactive technologies and to market yourself professionally as an artist using DVD and website technologies.
Duration of Course
15 months full-time (Sept.-Dec. the following year) OR
2 years or more part-time
Contact Details
Administrator: Sue Francis
Email: s.francis@chi.ac.uk
