AWARD RECEIVED

Diploma in Professional Dance

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Post-Secondary Bridge Program in Dance is a three-year diploma program designed to provide optimum ballet training for talented post-secondary students, teaching them to be exceptionally prepared technically, artistically, and personally for careers in dance.

CAREER OCCUPATIONS

The Post-Secondary Bridge Program is designed to provide students with the highest level of training available for a career as a professional ballet dancer in a classical ballet, contemporary ballet, and/or contemporary company. This can include but is not limited to entering a professional company at a trainee/apprentice/corps de ballet dancer level.

Further career paths that are often opened by attending the Bridge Program are:

• Dance teacher, choreographer, adjudicator, and/or examiner
• Working in live theatre in a variety of capacities both onstage and off, commercial dance work
• Working in the field of kinesiology, dance/sports physiotherapy, massage therapy, nutritionist, dance/sports psychologist, Gyrokenisis/Gyrotonic Method, and Pilates instruction.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should be 19 years of age or possess a complete Grade 12 Diploma or equivalent. If under 19, applicant must have parent or legal guardian’s consent and signature on the enrolment agreement and be able to demonstrate the maturity and technical ability required for the Bridge Program.

Admission is through a successful audition and interview process. Auditions can be in different forms; in person, submitting a video link following our Admission Policy Requirements, or if necessary, arranged online via Zoom.

All applicants must provide an audition package including:

• Documentation of a student’s dance and training history (résumé/CV or summary)
• Confirmation of advanced technical ability and performance level via audition (video, online or in-person)
• May include an interview with the Program Director or Artistic Director

All students must keep a valid passport and, for International Students, also an updated study permit.

Victoria Academy of Ballet does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender or sexual orientation.

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

By completion of the program:

• Students will be able to demonstrate a refinement in technique and artistry to a professional level and developed rehearsal and performance skills commensurate with a professional dancer.
• Students will be able to demonstrate and discuss works from Romantic, Classical, Neo-Classical and Contemporary Ballet repertoires.
• Students will be able to demonstrate a proficiency in choreographic principles and concepts to enable them to pursue a career as a professional dancer.
• Students will be able to discuss how to efficiently research, demonstrate effective interview skills and present an audition package Students will be able to acknowledge the importance of nutrition and identify practical anatomy as an elite performer.
• Students will effectively show how to develop their own methods for successful and consistent performance by managing their stress and performance anxiety.

METHODS OF EVALUATION

• A student’s technical and artistic progress are assessed through observation, in individual conferences, demonstrations and performances.
• Other modules are assessed by the instructor in a variety of ways depending on the project or assignment. Assignments/Projects can be marked; pass/fail, graded, or in an anecdotal fashion (i.e. does not yet meet expectations, meets expectations, exceeds expectations).

COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

All modules and hours must be completed to receive the final Diploma in Professional Dance. The standard of execution in dance at a pre-professional level must also be realized and determined by the students’ instructors, Head of Post-Secondary Bridge Program and Director to graduate with the Diploma in Professional Dance.

FULL PROGRAM DURATION

120 weeks, 3 years full time

• Year 1: 38 weeks, 30 hours per week
• Year 2: 41 weeks, 35 hours per week
• Year 3: 41 weeks, 35 hours per week

DELIVERY METHOD

In class instruction

LIST OF COURSES