The B.A. (Hons) Dance Studies programme (School of Performing Arts, University of Malta) is now in its third year. The course is fast becoming an important part of the exciting cultural developments occurring on the island.
It has marked a step towards the formation of a community of Maltese contemporary dancers and choreographers who will contribute to the cultivation of Malta’s own community of dance scholars and dance artist practitioners.
To date, students have been involved in various projects developed in partnership with prominent creative bodies, as well as having benefited from the participation of international performers, choreographers, teachers, designers and academics that regularly contribute as visiting lecturers.
These have included Jose Agudo (choreographer and rehearsal director of Akram Khan Company, Nico Monaco (ex-dancer Emio Greco), Professor Alexandra Carter, Dr Christina Kostoula and lighting designer Moritz Zavan.
The department itself encompasses a permanent resident staff that is diverse, experienced and familiar with the practice and research of Dance in the world today. The approach is global, professional, personal and steeped in a vision and philosophy that embraces the nurturing of the ‘artistic, creative and intellectual individual’ who is tooled with the skills to enable a longevity in dance employment.
The full time programme targets matriculated students with a number of years’ experience of practical dance study who wish to pursue a career in Dance as contemporary performers, choreographers, teachers, dance journalists, managers and administrators in dance schools, therapists, community dance workers and more.
The programme also encourages the development (lifelong learning) of mature students (aged 23+) with a body of practical experience but no theoretical background who wish to learn more about choreography, dance theory, technology and dance, or pedagogy.
This three-year programme synthesizes theory and practice in such ways that theory underpins practice and practice illuminates theory.
Audition for the next academic year beginning October 2013 will be held in at the end of June and in September. For more details please contact Ms StephaniaVella at stephania.vella@um.edu.mt [1].