Contemporary Dance
Our intensive training course provides the highest quality tuition and guidance to support your future as a contemporary dance artist.
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Overview
This Contemporary Dance programme is for talented young dancers who aspire towards a career as a professional contemporary dancer or choreographer. As a contemporary dance student at the Junior Conservatoire, you will attend weekly classes to develop your technical skills and nurture your unique artistry. Students meet on a Monday evening.
The course lecturer will work with each dancer to increase their understanding of contemporary dance techniques such as Graham, Cunningham, Limon and Laban. Time will also be spent in class developing:
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flexibility
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understanding and use of improvisation
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use of space and levels
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the intensity of movement phrases
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building stamina and expression
By studying in this Junior Contemporary Dance programme, you will:
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learn from expert staff who teach at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
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focus on developing your technique
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build confidence in yourself and your ability
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take part in performing opportunities
Entry is by audition only. We accept a small number of students each year into the programme to allow us to focus our teaching on each individual’s development.
Join us for our Open Day on Monday the 19th May. To register for attendance at this event, click here.
The important details
Open Day
19th May
Application Deadline:
June 2025 for 2025/26 entry
Venue:
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB
Dates:
31 August 2024 - 20 June 2025
Time:
Mondays 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Audition Fee:
£45
Cost
£800
Why Study Contemporary Dance at the Junior Conservatoire?
The Junior Conservatoire of Dance is Scotland’s national centre of excellence for training aspiring dancers to progress towards full-time, vocational study at a higher education level.
- Learn within Scotland’s national conservatoire, recognised as one of the world’s top ten performing arts education institutions.
- Train on specifically designed courses for students working towards full-time vocational training in dance
- Use bespoke, purpose-built dance facilities at Wallace Studios, Speirs Locks
- Develop your performance skills alongside your technique
- Learn in small class sizes, ensuring you receive detailed one-to-one and group ensemble teaching
- Receive regular feedback reports throughout the year to ensure you are getting the most out of the programme
Programme Structure
As a Junior Conservatoire student, you will attend weekly classes to ensure you develop your dance technique at the right pace. You will study:
- The foundations of contemporary dance technique, release and floor work.
- Alongside this, you will be set individual targets in strength, flexibility, stamina and fitness, which you will be encouraged to practice in your own time.
- You will develop your solo and group performance skills, building confidence to perform and participate in creative processes of dance-making for various performances throughout the year.
Contemporary Dance Technique
Your contemporary dance technique class rigorously works your precision and musicality through rhythmic and lyrical exercises. We focus on the articulation of limbs with the contraction, release, curve and spiral of the spine. You will work on posture and skeletal alignment, using breath with movement, and will practice building dynamic shifting and travelling ability both standing and on the floor. Technique exercises will work your strength and agility to increase dynamic movement and improve your travelling and jumping facility. Many contemporary dance techniques have evolved over the last hundred years since the movement began. You will learn contemporary dance history as part of your programme of workshops and build awareness of the vast legacy underpinning the art form.
Release
The release is about finding the balance between holding tension in muscles and learning to release that tension to create an exciting and dynamic movement quality. You will gain a deeper understanding of how to use the body with the forces of gravity and momentum, facilitating quick, dynamic and fluid movement sequences. Students will practice floor work, learning to fall, recover and move safely in, out and across the floor. All students will be encouraged to find ways of adapting movement to suit their bodies.
Entry Requirements
Entry to the Junior Conservatoire of Dance is by audition only. Progression through the levels is not automatic — students will be assessed each year to continue their studies.
Whilst the Contemporary Dance programme does not have formal entry requirements, we expect applicants to have a strong passion for dance, aptitude and an ambition to become the most diverse, creative dancer they can be.
If you are unsure if you are at the right level to apply for the Junior Conservatoire Contemporary Dance programme, please contact us at juniorsdance@rcs.ac.uk, and we will be happy to speak to you in more detail.
Fees & Funding
Fees for Session 2024/25
£800
How to Apply
We want to ensure everyone has an opportunity to apply for the Junior Conservatoire Contemporary Dance programme and everyone who applies on time will receive an audition.
When to Apply
Applications for August 2025 entry will open in January 2025 and auditions will take place in June. All applications should be completed online and there is an audition fee of £45.
If you need financial support to pay for the audition fee please contact us at juniorsdance@rcs.ac.uk
Audition Information
Auditions will take place again in June 2025.
We want your audition to be an enjoyable experience and encourage you to take this opportunity to find out more about the Junior Conservatoire.
Your audition is a group contemporary dance class in front of a panel of RCS lecturers and specialist teachers. You will take part in a group class with a panel of tutors observing.
For the audition, we recommend you arrive 30 minutes in advance of the start time to ensure you have adequate time to warm up and wear dance practice clothing.
We aim to inform all applicants of our decision within three weeks of the audition.
Above all, remember the panel wants to see you do well. We look forward to meeting you!
Term Dates
Class Days & Times
Mondays 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Student induction- Sunday 25th August 2024
Term Dates 2024/25
Term 1
2nd September – 15th December 2024
No classes 7th – 20th October
Term 2
6th January – 6th April 2025
No classes 15th – 21st February 2025
Term 3
22nd April – 22nd June 2025
Junior Contemporary Dance Photo Gallery
Get in Touch
If you have any questions about the Junior Conservatoire or the application process, please don’t hesitate to contact us at juniorsdance@rcs.ac.uk