MA/MFA DANCE PERFORMANCE

Programme Details

Students on the MA programme are immersed in an intensive year of physical and creative exploration.

Regular classes in embodied dance techniques provide the groundwork for exploring different movement styles and methodologies.

Creative projects with guest artists will have a range of different outputs from theatre performances to site specific events, durational installations, film work and other. Guest artists and collaborative opportunities help students to broaden and develop their professional networks.

Across all activities, the experience of the dancer as an individual is centered and celebrated. Ongoing dialogue and debate create space for critical reflection alongside regular feedback and independent research.

You will become part of the wider postgraduate community at Trinity Laban, with shared activities and opportunities to collaborate across both music and dance faculties. Facilities in our award-winning building include an outstanding library, state of the art studios, a 300-seat theatre and access to our fitness gym and Pilates studio alongside costume, production and AV support. 

The MA Dance Performance is a one year (full time) taught programme, culminating in an independent research project. 

The MFA Dance Performance is a two year (full time) programme. It shares the first year with the MA. An extended independent project forms the second year, providing time for in-depth research and realisation of a substantial body of work. 

Teaching and Learning

The majority of the learning for this programme takes place in the context of group studio practice led by faculty and guest artists.  A range of performance encounters will also provide different learning opportunities.  

Invited artists will vary from year to year. Guest artists and companies for 23/24 include Clod Ensemble, Company Wayne McGregor, Becky Namgauds and Temitope Ajose-Cutting.  

Seminars and lectures will also be part of the course alongside group discussion and reflective practice. Students will also have regular individual tutorials and mentoring throughout the year. In the final term, students will engage in independent study to pursue a particular research idea with mentoring support. 

This is an intensive programme, and students can expect to have around 25-30 contact hours per week for much of the year, depending on the activity 

Assessment will take place through a variety of modes, including practice-based formats, presentation, performance, reflective documentation and portfolio submission. 

Entry Requirements

• Normally a UK undergraduate degree in an appropriate or related subject, or an overseas award of equivalent standard.
• Applicants without formal qualification, who may have the appropriate levels of professional experience are invited to complete Trinity Laban’s recognition of prior learning (RPL) process.
• If English is not your first language, you will need to achieve an IELTS score of 6.5 overall.

Who are these courses for?

These programmes are suited to both recent graduates and to more experienced performers who wish to refresh and reframe their performance practice alongside gaining a postgraduate qualification. You will need to demonstrate a level of dance performance practice, either at an audition workshop or through video application, that is commensurate with study at Masters level. 

We are looking for applicants who are excited by the prospect of working intensively as part of a Collective to explore and deepen their skills as performers. Students will need to be willing to collaborate, take risks, be ready to explore new creative ideas and to work as part of a team. Students will also need to be self-motivated and bring with them an ongoing curiosity about their own movement practice and performative potential. 

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and we particularly encourage applications from different underrepresented groups. 

How do I apply? 

First, you should submit an application via UCAS Conservatoires.

Once we have received your application, you will be either:

• invited to one of our audition workshops, or
• sent more details about how to submit your recorded material, if you are unable to attend in person.

You can submit recorded material via Embark.  Please upload the following:

1)     Showreel/portfolio of work, maximum 5 minutes. This could be footage of you performing, working in the studio, outside, etc.  You should be clearly visible in the video. It would be useful to think about how your choice of footage represents your work as a dance artist/performer.

2)     Solo task: take a look at this famous solo created and performed by Trisha Brown in 1978.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FALHd5Viz4

Your task is to film yourself dancing a 60 second response. You are not expected to learn or reproduce any of the material, instead we are asking you to choreograph a new solo or simply to improvise freely for 60 seconds, working with movement ideas from the film. Here are some things you might want to think about, but feel free to use your own ideas:

• Taking impulses/directional change from different parts of the body
• Moving in and out of pedestrian and more complex movement vocabulary
• Finding a play between physical clarity and freedom/fluidity

Your solo might look very different to the one on film, and that’s okay!

3)     A recording of you speaking to camera explaining why you want to apply for this programme and telling us about your choice-making in the solo task. This should be maximum 2-mins.

4)     If your video application is successful, you will be invited to an online interview with the Programme Leader.

MFA applicants must include a project proposal, outlining the following: 

• The reasons why they wish to carry out an independent project over one academic year (their second year of study)
• The nature of their intended research and a draft projected timeline with indicated outputs of research (which is understandably subject to change)
• Their suitability for extended independent research in the context of an MFA Dance Performance
  

 Visas
If you are an international student it is essential you meet external requirements of UK Visas and Immigration.

Please contact our Admissions team for more information.

Alumni Destinations

Trinity Laban graduates have gone on to work with choreographers and companies such as: New Adventures, Akram Khan Company, Siobhan Davies Dance Company, DV8, Rambert Dance Company, Random Dance Company, The Cholmondeleys, CandoCo, Michael Clark, BalletBoyz, Punchdrunk, Tavaziva, Arthur Pita and Miguel Pereira.
Graduates have also created their own companies and presented work as independent artists.

Graduates have also created their own companies and presented work as independent artists including Tough Boys Collective and Back on the Map.

To learn more visit Alumni Destinations and explore our Alumni Profiles.

Fees and Finance

Fees are reviewed annually. Tuition fees are subject to annual inflationary increases based on RPI-X.

Fees for September 2024 entrants

Fees for September 2023 entrants

Accommodation and Living Costs

This information can be found on our Costs of Living page.

Financial Support

Read about financial awards and external funding opportunities in the Fees and Finance section.