Contemporary Dance Practices
An International Bachelor of Arts programme in performing arts with focus on contemporary dance practices. Contemporary Dance Practices is a part of the Department of Performing Arts at Iceland Academy of the Arts. It is a three year full time undergraduate studies., 180 ECTS.
At the BA in Contemporary Dance Practices program we aim at educating dance artists with a unique voice and capacity to sustain a carrier within the contemporary dance scene internationally or to continue their studies on a MA level. Situated in Reykjavík, Iceland, the access to nature and the proximity of the professional performing arts scene makes a suitable platform for a dynamic learning experience where the student is both inspired and challenged technically, contextually and artistically. Theory, technique, choreography and artistic expressions are explored individually and in collaborations for the student to develop a personal approach to movement, methods, choreography, creative process, staging and production.
The program places dance in dialogue with other art forms, creating a platform for exploration into different disciplines and approaches through collaborative creative process. The Department of Performing Arts maintains a fruitful collaboration with local and international art institutions, festivals and independent artists, such as Reykjavík Dance Festival, LÓKAL International Theater Festival, The Iceland Dance Company and theaters and museums in the city.
Within the programme there are three main strands of practices that intertwine; technique, theory and creative process and running concurrently is a strand focusing on the sustainability of the artist. Big emphasis is on fostering and developing critical thinking of the students. The programme provides a rigorous training in different styles of contemporary techniques and improvisation, supported by classic foundational dance techniques and other somatic practices.
The course is international and is taught in English.