Dance students at De Montfort University

Dance BA (Hons)

Develop your technical and performance skills in a range of contemporary practices that will broaden your understanding of dance and help you find your creative voice.

Entry Criteria
Structure and assessment
Facilities and features
Opportunities and careers
Take your next steps
Contact us

Overview

Take a look at DMU's University Dance Festival rehearsals, showcasing original choreography and energetic performances.

With its strong industry links, this course will prepare you for a range of dance-related careers. You will also benefit from great facilities that have contributed to DMU being recognised as a Centre for Excellence in Performance Arts, reflecting our commitment to innovative and excellent teaching and learning.

Intellectually and artistically demanding, it offers daily dance classes in contemporary techniques, ballet for contemporary dancers, and fusion and improvisation. In your second year you can choose to specialise your studies in performance and choreography or education and community.

Dance: Performance and Choreography is designed to give students an in-depth knowledge of performance and choreographic practices and develop their technical and artistic skills. Our successful graduates work as performers, choreographers, dance practitioners and producers.

The aim of Dance: Education and Community is to help students wishing to teach and lead dance to gain a thorough knowledge of arts education and dance pedagogy. DMU graduates have landed roles as teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary education and as community dance practitioners and project managers.

Key features:

Gain industry experience and contacts with daily classes from our extensive network of professional dance artists and companies.

Boost your exposure in the field through our excellent links with local, national and international dance organisations and artists such as Maverick TV, Akram Khan Company and Serendipity Arts.
Real-life experience is offered though a placement module in your final year where you can gain valuable knowledge with a professional organisation or artist of your choice, with support from a mentor. Students have recently worked with Moving Together, Fuelled Dance Theatre and New Art Club.
DMU is recognised as a Centre for Excellence in Performance Arts with great facilities providing specialist studios and rehearsal spaces designed specifically for dance and performance learning activities.
Our graduates are creative, entrepreneurial practitioners who are able to respond to the ever-changing demands of the current dance profession. Previous graduates have gone on to a variety of work and performance opportunities, including a role as the head of dance, performing in music videos, and participating in Channel 4’s First Acts and  Let’s Dance International Frontiers festival.
Take part in our international experience programme, DMU Global. Students have benefited from trips to the University Dance Festival in Kiev, Ukraine, and to performance venues in New York, furthering their international outlook and shaping their creative ideas.
Benefit from the cutting edge research and practice carried out by Dance staff in the Research Institute of Drama, Dance and Performance Studies Research.

Scholarships:

DMU Global High Flyers Award
Our dedicated DMU Global High Flyers Award offers ambitious students a discount of up to £1,000 towards a DMU Global opportunity (terms and conditions apply).

UK
EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: W500

Duration: Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Find out more about tuition fees and available funding.

Additional costs: Here at DMU we provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur additional costs for this programme.

Contact us: For more information, call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £15,750

Contact us: For more information, call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

Typical entry requirements

112 points from at least 2 A'levels or
BTEC Extended Diploma DMM or
International Baccalaureate: 26+ Points

Plus five GCSEs grades 9-4 including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above.

Pass Access with 30 Level 3 credits at Merit (or equivalent) and GCSE English (Language or Literature) at grade 4 or above.

We will normally require students have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.

We also accept the BTEC First Diploma plus two GCSEs including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Interview and audition

Applicants with relevant qualifications will be invited to submit an audition clip. Please see our digital audition advice for full details.

Non-standard applicants may be invited to attend an online interview via MS Teams with an audition clip.

Structure and assessment

First year

Dance Techniques 1
Ensemble Performance
Choreography
Exploring the Dance Profession

Second year

Dance Techniques 2
Performance Project
Choreography for Live Performance
Choreography for Screen
Dance Contexts
Teaching and Leading Dance 1
The Healthy Practitioner
Promoting Dance

Third year

In your final year you choose from a range of modules, listed below. This enables you to personalise your studies in line with your interests and career pathways.

Modules offered may include:

Dance Techniques 3
Dance Technique and Performance
Choreography
Dance Company
Screen Dance: Concept to Production
Teaching and Leading Dance 2
Dance Research Project 1
Dance Research Project 2
Placement 1
Placement 2
Education and the Performing Arts

Click here for more detailed module information: Year one - Year two - Year three

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Structure

Teaching and learning takes place in practical classes, workshops, performances, lectures, screenings, demonstrations, small group discussions and one-to-one tutorials. In your independent study time you will undertake research by viewing, reflecting, analysing, writing and in practical explorations.

All assessment is via coursework and includes classwork, presentations, choreography, written assignments and portfolios.

We have one of the largest teams of dance staff in the UK and, as they are practising artists and researchers, you can be assured of keeping up-to-date with current research and trends in dance. Our excellent teaching and research was acknowledged when DMU was designated a Centre for Excellence in the Teaching and Learning of Performance Arts.

Our academic dance staff have international reputations for performance, choreography, research and innovative teaching. World-renowned choreographer and former student, Akram Khan, has acknowledged the “inspirational teaching” he experienced at DMU.

Dance staff work closely with local, national and international dance organisations including Dance 4 and People Dancing. We also enjoy close links with artists and professional organisations, such as the Akram Khan Company, New Art Club, Moving Together and Serendipity Arts who have offered students work experience and internships.

In your final year you have practical opportunities to work with professional, educational or community organisations to develop skills in dance teaching, leading and promotion.

Contact hours
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work and self-directed study. Assessment is through coursework (presentations, essays and reports) Your precise timetable will depend on the optional modules you choose to take, however, in your first year you will normally attend around 15 hours of timetabled taught sessions (lectures and tutorials) each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 22 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.

Facilities and features

Performance facilities

Recognised nationally as a centre for excellence in performance arts, DMU has outstanding courses, teaching and facilities. Our Performing Arts Centre for Excellence (PACE) building provides sector-leading spacious studios, rehearsal rooms and fully equipped performance spaces. There are further fully equipped performance spaces in our Campus Centre and the Venue@DMU, a purpose-built space created to host events, performances and celebrations.

All of our spaces can be transformed to turn your ideas into a reality. Your creative work is supported by expert technicians and you can book rehearsal space and equipment such as digital video cameras, sound recording equipment and editing suites.

Take a look at our stunning showcase of the PACE building and facilities at dmu.ac.uk/perform

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Campus Centre

The home of  De Montfort Students' Union, (DSU) our Campus Centre offers a welcoming and lively hub for student life. Conveniently located at the heart of campus, it includes a convenience store, a Subway and a Starbucks. Here you can find the DSU-owned charitable accommodation service Sulets and DSU’s shop, SUpplies, selling art supplies, stationery and clothing, and printing and binding services. The building is also home to the DSU officer team.

Opportunities and careers

Placements

During this course you will have the option to complete a paid placement year, an invaluable opportunity to put the skills developed during your degree into practice. This insight into the professional world will build on your knowledge in a real-world setting, preparing you to progress onto your chosen career.

Our careers programme DMU Works can help to hone your professional skills with mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and an assigned personal tutor will support you throughout your placement. Recent placements at Moving Together, Fuelled Dance Theatre and New Art Club have allowed our students to gain valuable knowledge within a professional organisation.

DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons, helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK-based activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Students on this course have previously undertaken DMU Global trips to Copenhagen, to explore and experience the city’s cultural and historical performance landscape, as well as visited Berlin and destinations further afield such as New York.

Graduate careers

Graduates of this course are creative, entrepreneurial practitioners who are able to respond to the ever-changing demands of the current dance profession. They are equipped to successfully work in a range of dance-related careers as educators, performers, and choreographers, as well as managers and producers.

Our students have gone on to work as heads of school and college dance departments, university lecturers, community dance practitioners, as well as the former Director of Dance at Arts Council England and award-winning choreographers, such as Akram Khan.

Graduates also have the opportunity to progress on to postgraduate study such as the Performance Practices MA here at DMU and doctoral research.

Graduate, Rosie Russell, is now undertaking a master’s degree after the course opened her eyes to the career possibilities in the dance sector and praises DMU for teaching her to be entrepreneurial as a dance artist. She said: “The range of techniques offered means that I am now a more versatile dancer and the structure of classes over the three years helps you develop your own dance identity. Each staff member has their own area of expertise so you not only have your personal tutor, but you have an endless network of knowledge with the team of lecturing staff. DMU is also excellently equipped with a variety of studios with multiple functions. The PACE studios feel so open and spacious with the mirrors, windows and multi-purpose sound system.”

Dance BA (Hons)