Choreography BA(Hons) Degree

Course outline

Level 1

• Technique and Improvisation
• Performance & Contemporary Culture
• Ballet & Experiential Anatomy
• Foundations in Choreography
• Contemporary Techniques
• Site Based Practices

Level 2

• Directing Choreography
• Performance Analysis & Technique Histories
• Choreographic Skills
• Music & Dance
• Entrepreneurial Project
• Dance on Screen

Level 3

• Contextual Enquiry Project
• Research in Production
• Written Research Project
• Critical Arts Practice

Tell me more about the BA(Hons) Choreography course

Looking closely at dance, site, music and theatre, you'll be encouraged to approach your study in an independent and professional way. You'll also learn about the practical side of putting on performances and promoting them, including production management, marketing, fundraising, lighting, and audiovisual approaches.

Site-specific modules, physical training for dancing outdoors or in specific contexts and locations, and music and dance exchanges to make work with Falmouth's music and composition students are just some examples of our working practices which will inspire you with the creative possibilities of your choreography.

By choosing to study for a degree in Choreography at Falmouth you will:

• Be studying the only choreography course in the country that focuses on choreography-making at BA level.
• Benefit from being taught by friendly and approachable staff who are also practitioners active with their own dance companies or in areas of professional research.
• Be based at the new Performance Centre, a high-specification facility, purpose-built for students' specific needs with the very latest equipment.
• Formulate ideas, develop a variety of physical skills and explore the languages of movement through a combination of classes, lectures, workshops, performance projects, group seminars and tutorials.
• Work closely alongside BA(Hons) Dance students and have the opportunity to collaborate with Falmouth's music students.
• Benefit from the expertise of regular visiting artists, such as Kirstie Simson ("one of the legends of British dance and one of the greatest exponents of contact improvisation" - Time Out) and Marie Gabrielle Rotie, a Japanese Butoh expert who has presented works at the Royal Opera House, Laban and the Royal National Theatre. They both run week-long workshops with our students, focussing on specific areas of expertise.
• Have the opportunity to benefit from exchanges with other institutions such as SNDO (Amsterdam), Towson (Maryland), Hollins University and the American Dance Festival.
• Benefit from the course's close links with artists and arts organisations in Devon and Cornwall, including C-Scape, Kneehigh, Wildworks, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Hall for Cornwall Truro and The Arts at Dartington. Many of our workshops are run in conjunction with Falmouth's Theatre students, so you'll also have the chance to work with innovative performance groups like Gob Squad and Goat Island.

Links

• sndo-sndo.blogspot.com
• www.towson.edu
• www.hollins.edu
• www.americandancefestival.org
• www.cscape.org.uk
• www.kneehigh.co.uk
• www.wildworks.biz
• www.theatreroyal.com
• www.hallforcornwall.co.uk
• www.dartington.org/arts
• www.gobsquad.com
• www.goatislandperformance.org

How is the course taught?

Our BA(Hons) Choreography and BA(Hons) Dance courses are closely linked, so you'll attend some classes together - looking at the same issues from your different choreography or performance perspectives.

The course is taught through classes, lectures, workshops, performance projects, group critiques/seminars, individual tutorials, lecturer and student-led initiatives in performances and presentations of work. Assessment is continuous, through written work, studio-based practice and performances.

Regular visiting artists, such as Kirstie Simson and Marie Gabrielle Rotie, run week-long workshops with our students. Together with our staff - all of whom are practitioners active with their own dance companies or research - they'll help you formulate ideas, develop physical skills and explore the languages of movement, while encouraging your individual and collaborative composition methods.

Assessment

• Written assignments
• Studio-based practice and performance
• Final year project 

Facilities

You'll be based in our brand new Performance Centre at Tremough - a high-specification facility purpose-built for students' specific needs with the very latest equipment, including:

• A large purpose built theatre
• A large dance studio with a fully sprung Harlequin floor
• Two more dance studios also with fully sprung Harlequin floors
• All studios equipped with contemporary production lighting and sound facilities

Projects

The Choreography course is currently involved in producing public events in Berlin and the National Contact Improvisation Jam UK.

You'll also have the opportunity to become involved in a wide range of community projects - for example, Falmouth has close links with Candoco Dance Company, a contemporary company of disabled and non-disabled dancers.

• National Contact Jam
• www.candoco.co.uk

Winter Dance Gathering

December 2009 saw over one hundred dance artists from all stages of their career at University College Falmouth's first annual Winter Dance Gathering.

Dancing in the dark, partnering with the walls, choreographing over the internet, critiquing female dressing room neuroses, tap-dancing to live music, wrestling with giant flags and creating mass improvisation events were just a few of the ‘doings' that celebrated diverse and energetic engagements with dance performance.

Taking place at UCF's former Dartington Campus in Devon, the gathering featured work by students, staff and alumni over a weekend of performances, workshops, discussions and film screenings that were all free to the public.

Dancing Means Doing. Review of the Winter Dance Gathering (150.78 KB)

Guest lectures/workshops

Recent visitors include Jasmine Vardimon (associate artist of Sadler's Wells since 2006); H2 Dance ("a determinedly defiant and forceful piece of 21st-century dance theatre" - The Guardian); Colin Poole (former associate artist at The Place); and Kwesi Johnson (artistic director of Kompany Malakhi and founder of The Akademy - the UK's first Hip Hop Academy in Bristol).

Visiting and Guest Artists in 2009-2010

• Angus Balbernie
• Malgven Gerbes 
• David Brandstaetter
• Retina Dance Company
• Denise Rowe
• Claire Parker
• Ashley McGill
• Ellen Kilsgaard
• Chris Crickmay
• Marie-Gabrielle Rotie
• June Gamble
• Rosie Dennis
• Charlie Morrisey
• Gesine Daniels
• Kayla Dougan Bowtell
• Helge Musial
• Shelley Love
• Fumiaki Tanaka

Visiting and Guest Artists in 2008-2009

• Kirstie Simson
• Marc Brew
• Sean Feldman
• Marie-Gabrielle Rotie
• Stephan Koplowitz
• Angus Balbernie
• Malgven Gerbes
• David Brandstaetter
• Fiona Wilkie
• Angela Woodhouse
• GobSquad
• Fumiaki Tanaka
• Kwesi Johnson and Kompany Malakhi

Visiting and Guest Artists in 2007-2008

• Kirstie Simson
• Sten Rudstrom
• Gill Clarke
• Marie-Gabrielle Rotie
• Angus Balbernie
• Nigel Charnock
• Finn Walker
• Jenny Tattersal
• Janet O'Shea
• Lou Cope
• Chris Crickmay
• Wendy Houston

Artist Biographies

Maryam Pourian trained at Central School of Ballet, London. After graduating she performed internationally, working with choreographers such as Matthew Bourne, William Tuckett, Mark Morris, Christopher Gable and Arthur Pitta to name a few. She now lives and works in Devon, as a freelance teacher. A registered teacher with Royal Academy of Dance and the International Dance Teachers Association, she works with children, adults, schools, and community groups teaching a range of dance styles and also lectures at universities and further education colleges.

Rosalyn Maynard is an Independent Dance Artist from Devon. She trained at London Contemporary Dance School and Middlesex University and is currently training in Body-Mind Centering. Ros regularly performs for Angela Praed and Angus Balbernie and has just completed her latest independent project a 5 week artist residency, From My Doorstep, Riverwaie to Beara Farm. Rosalyn has over 10 years of experience working and teaching in somatics, Chinese energy arts, contemplative practices, conceptual and experiential anatomy and improvisation. She has been working as an Associate Lecturer at Dartington for five years.

Kuldip Singh-Barmi trained at The Northern School of Contemporary Dance and has been performing, teaching and choreographing for the last 15 years. He was a founding member of CandoCo Dance Company and has also worked with choreographers and companies such as Emilyn Claid, Lloyd Newson (DV8), Siobhan Davies, Darshan Singh Bhuller (Singh Productions), Annabel Arden (Theatre de Complicite), Kwesi Johnson (Kompany Malakhi) RJC Dance Company, Fidget Feet Arial Dance/Theatre Company, Attik Dance and Company Pyke. Kuldip has taught and performed extensively nationally and internationally. Currently Kuldip is working as an associate lecturer at University College Falmouth and dance leader at the Barbican Theatre, Plymouth as well as co-facilitating workshops and choreographing for Wheelfever an integrated dance group based in Plymouth.

Malgven Gerbes Born in 1979 in France, Malgven graduated from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et Métiers d'Arts and worked as an architect in Paris before studying choreography in ArtEZ Arnhem (former EDDC) in the Netherlands. She investigates movement research based on release technique. She is in regular dialogue with the visual artist Julien Crépieux, the writer-lecturer David Williams, and the choreographer Mary O'Donnell Fulkerson to stimulate questions and responses on the crossing of artistic media. Malgven Gerbes choreographed and performed for several directors and group collaborative projects, and created together with David Brandstätter S h i f t s www.s-h-i-f-t-s.org, a platform for interdisciplinary artistic collaborations. Their work has been performed internationally in Europe and Asia. She has been teaching in ArtEZ Arnhem-NL, Dartington College of Arts UK, the Korean National University of Arts, Tanzfabrik Berlin, LaborGras Berlin, Session House Tokyo, and elsewhere.

David Brandstätter Born in 1979 in Wuppertal Germany, David studied applied music science in Hamburg and choreography in Arnhem at the European Dance Development Centre (now called ArtEZ). He collaborates closely with Malgven Gerbes and Seung Hee Yang. His research is concentrated on the development of contact improvisation towards choreographic structures. David has organised different artistic exchange projects for choreography, improvisation and contact improvisation in Berlin, and has taught contact and choreography at: Tanzfabrik Berlin, Fabrik Potsdam, Ernst Busch Hochschule für Schauspielkunst, Stadttheater Düsseldorf, ArtEZ Arnhem NL, Korean National University of Arts Seoul, Session House Tokyo, and elsewhere.

Richard Sarco-Thomas holds a first dan in Ki Aikido and has studied various martial arts including Judo and Jujitsu. He is also a Shiatsu and Jin Shin Jyutsu massage therapist. Richard's practice of contact improvisation is informed by Ki-Aikido, as well as the work of practitioners such as Kirstie Simson, Charlie Morrissey and Nancy Stark-Smith. Richard's research interest is Ki and its application/integration into movement and the widening of perception/compassion that accompanies specific modes of relationship.

Ellen Kilsgaard, born in Denmark 1975, is a dancer, choreographer and teacher. She first studied dance at School for New Dance Development 1999, and has since taken a MA with distinction at Dartington College of Arts, (now University College Falmouth), UK, 2008. She was artist in residence at Dagdha Dance Company, Limeirck, IR, in the season 08-09.

Over the years she has worked solo and in several collaboration constellations. Most recent in 2009 she danced with Daghdha Dance Company, Michael Kllien, IR, in the danceinstallation ‘Nothing Fields', and created the project ‘Oh Monster!' with Chris Crickmay, UK, (co-author of ‘A Widening Field' and ‘Body Space Image'). She worked with the project 'Experiments in a Relational Field' with the dancers Lucy Suggate, Isabella Oberlander, Sheena McGrandles and Riikka Theresa Inannen, and worked in a reseach collaboration with schollar and performer Rachel Sweeney. She created the solos 'Kind of Human - a stand up dance' and 'Dance for Madness and Hope' with music by Alejandro Sancho.

Her latest dance solo 'Dans for Farmor' is an intimate little piece which takes place in an old woman's living room.

From 2003-2006 she was the leader of the dance and performance line at Vraa Hojskole in Denmark where she taught and choreographed with and for students. She has taught technique and improvisation at Dartington College of Arts, ((now University College Falmouth), UK, and technique, improvisation and composition at Daghdha Dance Company, IR, and at LAB in Bratislava (summer school for ambitious youth).

Angus Balbernie is an artist working mostly in dance and performance, and like many artists has created an ongoing praxis by working abroad, teaching, doing practical research, and finding alternative ways to create work and projects. He has created and directed over 60 pieces in Europe, the USA, South America, Canada and Asia. He works internationally, and is recognised for his mentoring, practical teaching and research into clear methodologies for choreography, directing and composition., and for his occasional acting/performance roles. Angus is currently on the staff at Artez Arnhem (Dancemakers' department), an associate lecturer at The Scottish School Of Contemporary Dance and University College Falmouth, and a visiting lecturer in choreography at KNUA, Seoul.

Angus started performing street-theatre in southern France, then trained in Tai Chi in China, before taking a degree at Dartington College of Arts in Theatre and Dance, with an emphasis on Anatomical Release and Contact Improvisation, influenced by Mary O'Donnell Fulkerson and Steve Paxton. His ongoing research focuses on somatic and perceptual tunings in choreographic and compositional forms, and how environmental interaction and wild landscapes offer the potential for layered relationships between art, artists (normal people too!), metaphor and nature. This is drawn from a lifetime of climbing/falling off mountains and walking/being in wilderness. He has been nominated for an Isadora Duncan award in the USA and the KolnerTanz Prize.

Marie-Gabrielle Rotie trained in Fine Art painting and then created work in installation and film. In 1992 she discovered first vocal work with Roy Hart and Patricia Bardi, then dance in all its contemporary and modern forms and then Butoh, training with notable masters in Japan and Europe. She has created duets with Ko Murobushi, Katsura Kan and Atsushi Takenouchi. Since 1994 she has toured with her own company, receiving numerous commissions and awards, including from the Nuffield Theatre, Arts Council, British Council, Laban, The Place Theatre, Home Gallery etc. She has received 5 commissions from Laban since 2005 and currently has choreographed 4 consecutive commissioned shows for the London College of Fashion, developing her specialist choreographic interest in working with costume: these works have shown at Royal Academy, Victoria and Albert Museum and Sadlers Wells. She has also worked for the Royal National Theatre as choreographer for BACCHAI directed by Peter Hall.

Her current touring solos include Black Mirror and Mythic, and past solos have toured to the Royal Opera House, The Place and international dance festivals. She was a semi-finalist for the Place Prize 2004 and the trio work went on to show at the Linbury at Royal Opera House. She teaches movement and choreography and site-based work for dancers and actors and is a visiting lecturer at Laban, Goldsmiths, Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Central School of Speech and Drama and also teaches movement workshops for costume designers and scenographers. She is currently creating a body of movement/film works in collaboration with director Ian Pons Jewell: their last film was screened at Kings Place London. For Butoh UK, Rotie has organised over fifty workshops since 1994 and five Butoh festivals.

Helge Musial's point of departure for his choreographies is the understanding that each individual with his or her body, his or her sensuality, his or her spirit is a whole in itself, for which a unique form, an unmistakable expression can be found. He neither strives to force the bodies into line nor to deconstruct the de-individualised body, but searches for, and emphasises the specific and personal on stage. He pays attention that the dancers interpret the movements developed by him individually.

Helge has produced numerous choreographic works in the Berliner off scene; he choreographed for the Ballet of the Staten Opera Berlin Unter den Linden and for the Swedish Norrdans Company. His free lancing work has been continuously supported from the late 1980's until 2005 by funding through the Berlin Senate's administration for science, research and culture as well as through the German Funds for the performing Arts. Helge has been one of the leading performing artists and choreographers of the innovative Tanzfabrik Berlin between 1984 and 1999 which became a cutting edge model for a collectively organized cross disciplinary working choreography centre in Germany in the 1980's and 1990's.

He began his career as performing artist and choreographer on the base of his music and martial arts practice by combining 'Contact Technique' based choreographies with an athletic Ballet technique and Life music in the 80's and 90's. The genre-crossing work he created was characterised through very powerful and dynamic movement material and its trans- disciplinary attempts. His choreographic work toured internationally. Performances took place at numerous Festivals in Italy and France, several other European countries, Russia, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Montreal, Tokyo and Hong Kong. He has worked with various Choreographers such as Davide Camplani (Radialsystem), Cesq Gelabert (Hebbel Theatre), Dieter Heitkamp (Tanzfabrik), Gerhard Bohner (Akademie der der Künste) and various others.

Helge holds a German degree as ‘Diplom Choreograph' from College of Performing Arts in Berlin 'Ernst Busch', a PGCHE of University College Falmouth and the Qualification ‘Ballet Artist' of the School for Music and Choreography, Riga (former Latvian Soviet Republic). Studies in New York (Graham, Balanchine), Riga (Russian Ballet Technique) and Amsterdam (Dutch National Ballet) between 1986 and 1989 were supported through grants of the International Theatre Institute and the Culture Senate of Berlin. Helge runs the Dartington/Falmouth - Berlin students exchange program for the choreography department and teaches as a visiting artist.

Helge teaches currently as Professor at the Choreography Department of the College of Performing Arts ‘Ernst Busch' and HZT in Berlin. He is a member of the curator's board for ‘Funds for the Performing Arts' of the German Federal Republic and member of the board of experts for Choreography and Contemporary Dance in Berlin, nominated by the Berlin Senate for Science, Research and Culture.
Helge worked as Senior Lecturer for Choreography at Dartington College of Arts/ Falmouth University from 2005 to 2009, as well as teaching internationally in Switzlerland, Japan, Korea and Syria among others. From 1997 - 2005 he taught at the Theatre Department of the University of Arts in Berlin.

Helge also has worked as a choreographer, director, trainer and pedagogue with various Theatre directors including Youn Taeck Lee, Christiane Pohle, Bruno Catomas, Volker Hesse, Michael Simon, Barbara Bilabel, Antje Siebers and Peter Stein.

Shelly Love is an award winning prolific artist and director.
Originally trained as a dancer, she worked as a physical performer and choreographer before turning to filmmaking. In 2002-2004 Shelly became ‘Artist In Residence' at The Place in London. There she undertook supported research into movement for the screen, specialising in ‘Backwards Motion'. Since her first short film in 2001 she has received much attention and acclaim. Her films have been commissioned by The Place, Arts Council England Film Commission, Channel 4, and others, have been broadcast on Channel 4 and screen regularly on the international film festival circuit. Her work has been described as ‘Otherworldy', ‘Surprising', 'Magical', ‘Beautifully dark' and ‘ Uniquely choreographic'.

Links

• www.jasminvardimon.com
• www.h2dance.com
• www.theplace.org.uk
• www.kompanymalakhi.com
• www.shellylove.co.uk
• www.rotieproductions.com
• www.rotiebutoh.com

Professorial lecture series

Falmouth's Professorial lecture series aims to produce an engaging and challenging public programme that stimulates the intellectual curiosity of our staff, students and alumni, our research collaborators, our industry partners, our local communities and other supporters.

Answers and advice about the course

If you have any queries about the course please visit our HelpMe Forum.

HelpMe Forum

For further information about BA(Hons) Choreography at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 255764.

Career opportunities

Our graduates go on to work as successful freelance choreographers, choreographers based in dance companies or in community contexts, theatre, film, opera, television or music videos. They may also work as lighting and design consultants for dance productions. Many of our graduates have portfolio careers, which also include teaching and postgraduate study.

Entry requirements

A minimum of 220 UCAS points, equivalent Level 3 qualifications or relevant experience. You'll also be asked to present a short piece of choreography (usually a 1-2 minute solo) and a written review of a performance.

Please see our How to Apply page for more information.

For further information about BA(Hons) Choreography at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 255764.

Interview and selection process

All applicants will be invited to a selection day. The day will include a group technique class, group creative workshop, a talk about the course and individual interviews. You will need to bring some suitable practice clothes for the workshop and expect to be here for 4 hours. You will need to come prepared with the following:

1. A simple phrase of movement for development within the session (no sound or props etc needed).

2. A written critical response to: a performance you have recently seen or a book on dance/choreography that you have recently read. This writing should be accompanied by a bibliography and should not be more than 250 words.

Selection days will be held on 25 January, 15 and 22 February, 7 March, 18 April and 2 May. 

Location: Tremough Campus

Related courses

• Dance BA(Hons)
• Theatre BA(Hons)