Dance
We prepare you for the demands and challenges of a professional career in dance. We work with highly motivated, disciplined and creative people who are interested in shaping the future of dance.
Study Dance at VCA
Our program emphasises artistry, performance, choreographic practice and research within an inclusive environment for achieving excellence. We place curiosity, making, cultural awareness and creative questioning at the heart of our curriculum.
As an undergraduate student you will learn to dance in any direction. Training in an intensive, collaborative, studio-lab environment in key areas of contemporary dance, physical theatre, ballet, urban dance, choreography and performance, you will acquire skills in physical thinking complimented by body conditioning, dance philosophy, interdisciplinary practice and dance science.
Performance excellence is the nerve centre of the degree. Students perform in a production at every year level and their degree culminates in a graduation show directed by world-leading innovative choreographers. Breadth subjects at each year level enable you to explore cross disciplinary studies from the wider University community, such as Indigenous Arts and Culture, accessing knowledge and skills that will build on existing knowledge or present opportunities for you to investigate and develop new interests.
At Honours level you can specialise in the integration of performance skills and choreographic practice or in dance research and contribute to mobilising dance futures and theories of arts and culture.
VCA Dance students are part of the vibrant Melbourne dance scene and benefit from the proximity of local choreographers and companies including Philip Adams (BalletLab), Anouk Van Dijk (Countertechnique), Stephanie Lake Company, Lucy Guerin (WXYZ Studios), Chunky Move and Dancehouse. Through professional placements our students have the opportunity to develop pathways for their future careers through these relationships and networks.
Kummarge: First Nations Kinship Program
The aim of the Kummarge program is to make sure when First Nations dancers from across the country choose to study at Melbourne, there is a culturally safe space for them to grow.
Dance courses
Our People
One of my favourite things is when the Dance students are introduced to Interactive Composition students to create art together in Choreography class. They push the boundaries of how dance and sound cohabit the space, they gain insights into each other’s disciplines and participate in lively discussion about their artform. Ultimately, lasting collaborative relationships are formed.
Anna SmithLecturer in Dance
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Get information on the courses you’re interested in, or ask our team a question.
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VCA's Kate Just, Prue Lang awarded 2022 Australia Council for the Arts funding
Ngioka Bunda-Heath awarded the 2021 Hutchinson Indigenous Fellowship and Residency
Meet Zoyka Francalanci Aguayo, Master of Creative Arts Therapy student at the University of Melbourne
VCA events
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Dorcas McClean Competition and Australian National Violin Conference
10 February 2022 - 13 February 2022