Dance BA (Hons)

Why choose this course?

If you want to study dance and performance practically, but also want to gain an understanding of their history and the current dance industry, this is the course for you. No matter what your dance experience and background is, this course enables you to experiment and explore your creative potential, preparing you for a career in the dance or creative arts industries.

You'll develop your own dance identity by studying a variety of topics, such as choreography, dance technique and performance, and the dance industry, with a particular focus on teaching dance or event management.

The course is forward-thinking and emphasises the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion that makes the dance industry a vibrant and exciting place to work. There are opportunities to undertake a work placement or professional project or collaborate across disciplines (such as with a composer or filmmaker).

You'll work in a range of workshops and technique classes, across a range of dance and performance styles, for example:

  • hip hop dance styles
  • African
  • classical Indian dance
  • contemporary dance and contact improvisation

Throughout the three years you will gain a valuable insight into the dance industry through the Dance Industry modules, which prepare you for employment after graduating.

There is the option to specialise in choreography or Hip Hop and Urban Performance Practices in Years 2 and 3, and work as a dance company in Year 3.

The course also capitalises on London's vibrant multicultural dance scene, enabling you to access well-known dance centres such as Sadler's Wells, the South Bank Centre, the Barbican and the Place.

Check out what we are up to on our Kingston Uni Dance Instagram.

Attendance UCAS code/apply Year of entry
3 years full time W500 2023
6 years part time Apply direct to the University 2023
Location Penrhyn Road

Reasons to choose Kingston

  • The University's brand new Town House has a performance studio theatre and three large dance studios, equipped to professional standards with fully-sprung floors, mirrors and barres.
  • 100% of students from this course were in employment or further study within six months of graduating (DLHE 2016/17).
  • You'll learn from real-life dance companies. There are guest workshops and in-house residencies from the likes of the Olivier Award-winning Botis Seva and Far From the Norm, What is Written? Dance Company, Adriano Olivera (African) and Paradigmz (Dance Hall).

The Art School Experience

As part of Kingston School of Art, students on this course benefit from joining a creative community where collaborative working and critical practice are encouraged.

Our workshops and studios are open to all disciplines, enabling students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.

Two students collaborate on a design project.

Gallery of student work

What you will study

By the time you graduate you'll have gained real-life experience and skills of what it is linked to working in the dance industry and completed projects that will help kick-start your career. You will do this through learning, making, performing, watching, and discussing dances in new ways, using eye-opening perspectives and developing your professional and employability skills.

As you progress, you will work on projects that draw together different strands of your learning. Across the three years of the course, you will have increasing independence in the design and delivery of these projects.

Year 1

Year 2

Optional Year

Year 3

Year 1 focuses on developing your skills, knowledge and understanding. You will be introduced to the dance industry and set a plan for what you need to do to support your career aspirations. You will develop your technical and performance skills in a range of dance styles and apply this to your choreographic work. dance technique and knowledge of. You will also learn about the history of dance, anatomy and dance training.

Core modules

Dance Techniques and Cultures 1

60 credits

This module provides students with the opportunity to further develop their technical and performance skills through engagement with learning, developing, refining and performance of dance techniques from contrasting styles (such as hip hop and contemporary dance styles). Students will learn through intensive practical classes led by professionals in the field, accompanied by seminars to support their ability to critically reflect on their development. There will be regular opportunities to present their work, experimenting with a variety of communication technologies and reaching multiple audiences.

The intensive technical training offered in this module will allow students to expand their vocabulary and increase their fitness level and movement dynamics, working with more challenging and advanced material. Students will continue to engage in reflective practice for personal and professional development. By proposing an integrated approach that blends technical and performance training with an understanding of the role that context and perspective play in shaping and communicating movement, the module aims to equip students with practical tools to become sector leaders and cultural advocates for dance.

Creating Dance 1

30 credits

This module is designed to develop students' knowledge and understanding of a diverse and inclusive range of fundamental choreograph tools, devices, structures and practices to enable them to create, and perform short choreographic works and start to envision their artistic voice. This module will draw from a diverse range of dance styles and directly encourage students to be adaptable and draw from a range of dance techniques within their practice. Students will be encouraged to use improvisation as a practice for risk taking and developing ideas and exploring a range of source material for performances, such as, visual art, current affairs and music. Reference will be made to the historical development of choreographic practice as well as current choreographic trends and draws on the work of practitioners to enable students to contextualise their work. Students will be encouraged to develop self-practice and independence through the exploration of frameworks analysing movement, reflective practice in the choreographic studio and models for self and peer feedback.

Dance Industry 1: professional skills and personal development

30 credits

This module is designed to help students develop key knowledge and understanding of professional pathways within the dance sector. It will offer opportunities to engage with leading industry professionals through case studies to facilitate an in-depth understanding of professional practices and global contextual challenges. Emphasis will be placed on recognising the roles of who might be stakeholders in the 21st century dance industry, for example, audiences, funders, participants, and venues, and the importance of having a personal and professional narrative in communicating ideas and outcomes.

Year 2, provides you with the opportunities to apply your skills, knowledge and understanding developed in year 1 to the development of projects. Alongside developing your dance technique you will have the opportunity to develop your teaching skills or gain an insight into producing and managing events completing group projects. You will also learn about theoretical frameworks that will help you develop your understanding of the dance industry today and have the opportunity to specialise in either choreography or Hip Hop and Urban performance practices.

Core modules

Dance Industry 2: teaching and producing pathways

30 credits

This module enables students to build on knowledge and understanding of professional pathways within the dance sector explored through prior learning with a particular focus on working in participatory, for example community dance and dance in education settings, producing production settings. It will provide opportunities for students to specialise through two distinct pathways but both interrelated; working as a teacher in a range of participatory settings, including formal education and community contexts. Or, as a producer working in the arts sector. Both pathways examining the synergies between the two employment opportunities. Emphasis will be placed on how the two employment pathways can support the development of the dance and arts sector and the opportunities to become a local, national and global leader within these contexts. During the first teaching block students will select their chosen pathway of either teaching or producing.

Dance Techniques and Cultures 2

30 credits

This module provides students with the opportunity to further develop their technical and performance skills through engagement with learning, developing, refining and performance of dance techniques from contrasting styles (e.g. Hip Hop and contemporary dance styles). Students will learn through intensive practical classes led by professionals in the field, accompanied by seminars to support their ability to critically reflect on their development. There will be regular opportunities to present their work, experimenting with a variety of communication technologies and reaching multiple audiences.

Dance and the Global Now

30 credits

This module offers students key frameworks and embodied application to develop a comprehensive understanding of dance in an interconnected world, reflecting on the relationship between the local and global dimensions of current movement practices. This includes exploring and critically evaluating the possibilities and formats of dance in a rapidly changing world and engaging with topical issues that relate to historical, social, pollical and cultural contexts, such as the climate crisis, interculturalism, difference, migration and gentrification. The module supports the development of critical, analytical and embodied knowledge of a range of movement-based creative practices through classroom-based and practical workshops. For example, the application of dance to social contexts, site-specific and popular dance performance and the experimentation with urban and hybrid movement vocabularies. It also covers the role of dance in the context of activist and socio-political practices, and of the changing relationships between dance and its audiences through practice-based exploration and application.

Optional modules

Creating Dance 2

30 credits

This module will further develop core compositional techniques encouraging students to develop a more sophisticated and experimental approach to the development of their own choreographic practice with particular emphasis on choreographing on groups of dancers and working in different contexts e.g. site-specific contexts. This module will explore a diverse range of movement styles and vocabularies from practitioners refining the acquisition of social, political and historical understanding of choreographic contexts. This module encourages students to develop contextual awareness of practitioners, such as Alesandra Seutin to Kate Prince, Botis Seva to Benoit Swan Pouffer, to situate and locate their own practices with.

Hip Hop and Urban Performance Practices 1

30 credits

This module offers students the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience of black dance practices, such as hip hop, afrobeats and dancehall, and to develop skills in articulating the artistic and sociopolitical relevance of these practices. Through a combination of practical and theoretical learning the module lays a foundation for students to develop necessary skills and knowledge to become critically aware, articulate and accomplished practitioners. This includes working in the private commercial and public arts sectors as choreographers, dancers, teachers, producers and researchers.

You have the option to take an additional year to study abroad.

The focus of Year 3 is about preparing you for graduation and opportunities to work independently and lead your own projects. You will have the opportunity to undertake a placement or develop your own industry-based project, work as a member of a Dance Company with a choreographer and tailor the rest of your study to your own interests.

Core modules

Dance industry 3: placement and professional skills

30 credits

This module is designed to prepare students for graduation and employment as future leaders within the global dance and arts sector. It enables students to personalise their learning and development through leading a project or undertaking a placement. These opportunities will develop their professional identity they explored through prior learning.

Dance Company

30 credits

This is a practical module designed to take students through the process of making a dance production, from initial conception to final performance whilst also further developing and applying advanced levels of dance techniques and dance training. The focus of the module is to provide students with the experience of being in a dance company and of working closely within professional contexts of training, creating, refining and consolidating final production pieces suitable for professional performance environments. Students will apply ideas and creative problem-solving skills acquired through prior learning, in more diverse performance settings. Students will work in company environments with their choreographer both in scheduled learning time and during independent study hours to create, rehearse and produce full-scale dance-based productions. Students will work in companies led by a module tutor with choreographic experience. The companies will be set by timetabled classes.

Optional modules

Independent Dance Project

30 credits

This module is designed to offer students the opportunity to engage with key ideas, questions and approaches in dance scholarship and practice, and to apply them to the development of an independent dance project conducted under supervision. The project can draw from any aspect of learning from across the course and will support students with developing their research, analytical, problem solving, critical thinking and communication skills. The project outputs can consist of applied research and practice, practice-research or textual/written research. Students will be guided to employ and develop knowledge and skills to complete a project on an agreed topic. For example, topics could be related to dance theory, history, performance and choreography, (auto-) ethnography, pedagogy, educational or participatory dance, or industry.

Creating Dance 3

30 credits

This module provides student with the opportunities to experiment, innovate and develop choreographic outputs for context of their choice. It will enable students to further develop artistic leadership skills, communication skills and organisational skills within a collaborative environment to produce a creative output. Moreover, the module enables students to draw on all aspects and disciplines explored throughout prior learning to support students' emerging professional identities as future leaders and dance artists who could work in the dance, participatory, and related arts sectors. It will support students to further develop their choreographic skills and leadership for creating work for specific communities and contexts that have relevance to the wider global world. At the end of the module students will present a performance/creative output such as a live performance, installation or video performance reflecting their aspirations for future choreographic work upon graduation. Students will be offered tutorials at the beginning of teaching block two to support the selection of their chosen pathway. Collaboration with dancers and practitioners in other art forms will be encouraged. To further develop students' professional identities, they will develop a portfolio of their creative work and critical evaluations of the influences on their creative practice.

Hip Hop and Urban Performance Practices 2

30 credits

This module offers students a focused practical and contextual engagement with black dance practices, such as hip hop, afrobeats and dancehall. Students will develop skills in articulating the artistic and sociopolitical relevance of black performance practices through reflective discussion of their own work. The module enables students to refine dance skills and further develop embodied knowledge relevant to this sector. This focus helps in building the attributes required for the students to become articulate entrepreneurs and socially-aware pioneers in the dance industry. This includes working in the private commercial and public arts sectors as choreographers, dancers, teachers, producers and researchers.

Please note

Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.

Future Skills

Embedded within every course curriculum and throughout the whole Kingston experience, Future Skills will play a role in shaping you to become a future-proof graduate, providing you with the skills most valued by employers such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability.

As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills, learning to demonstrate and articulate to employers how future skills give you the edge.

At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it.

A female engineering student, in the engineering lab.

Entry requirements

Typical offer 2023

UCAS tariff points: 112-128

Level 3 qualifications, including Dance/Performance Arts (A-levels, BTEC Diploma, Access Diploma, IB Diploma, etc.).

Additional requirements

Entry onto this course will require submission of a digital portfolio as part of the application process. Further details about the portfolio will also be sent via email after submission of application.

See portfolio guidance below for more information about how to prepare your portfolio.

International

All non-UK applicants must meet our English Language requirements. For this course it is Academic IELTS of 6.5 overall, with no element below 5.5.

Make sure you read our full guidance about English language requirements, which includes details of other qualifications we consider.

Applicants who do not meet the English language requirements could be eligible to join our pre-sessional English language course.

Applicants from recognised majority English-speaking countries (MESCs) do not need to meet these requirements.

Country-specific information

You will find more information on country-specific entry requirements in the International section of our website.

Find your country:

Portfolio guidance

Please submit a portfolio including:

  • A one-to-two-minute video of you doing a dance solo in any style or styles of your choice. The solo should demonstrate your skills and abilities as a dance artist in training. It can be fully choreographed, improvised or a combination of both.
  • A one-minute video answering the three quick-fire questions below.

Quick-fire questions for one minute video submission

  1. What was your solo about and how do you hope the audience will feel after watching it?
  2. What qualities or experience will you bring to the course?
  3. Why you would like to study at Kingston and what are your ambitions for the future?

Typical offer and UCAS points explained

Like most universities, we use the UCAS Tariff point system for our course entry requirements.

Find out more about UCAS Tariff points and see how A-level, AS level, BTEC Diploma and T-level qualifications translate to the points system.

Teaching and assessment

Timetabled learning and teaching on this course includes technique classes, workshops, choreographic labs, lectures, small group tutorials, seminars, and group work.

Guided independent study (self-managed time)

When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for final assignments. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.

Academic support

Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at Kingston and show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.

Your workload

22% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity.

Type of learning and teaching

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 1
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 264 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 936 hours
Year 2
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 264 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 936 hours
Year 3
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 264 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 936 hours

Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. Depending on optional modules chosen, this breakdown may change.

How you will be assessed

Assessment typically comprises of practical assessments (e.g. technique classes, performances, choreography, post show talks and presentations) and coursework (e.g. essays or reports, career development plans, and portfolios of your development).

Type of assessment

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 1
  • Coursework: 39%
  • Exams: 8%
  • Practical: 53%
Year 2
  • Coursework: 45%
  • Exams: 0%
  • Practical: 55%
Year 3
  • Coursework: 34%
  • Exams: 0%
  • Practical: 66%

Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. Depending on optional modules chosen, this breakdown may change.

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Your timetable

Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled learning and teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 6pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.

Class sizes

To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally attracts 40 to 45 students per year and lecture sizes are normally 20 to 25. However, this can vary by module and academic year.

Who teaches this course?

You will be taught by a team of leading industry professionals and academics who have trained at or been employed by some of the world's leading artists, companies and academic institutions including: New Adventures, Richard Alston Dance Company, Trinity Laban, Greenwich Dance, Rosie Kay Dance Company, Akademi and London Contemporary Dance School. You will also work with dance artist and companies through guest workshops and in-house residencies.

Facilities

Dance is based in the University's flagship building, the Town House, designed by award-winning Grafton Architects. It features three large dance studios, each equipped to professional standards with fully-sprung floors, mirrors and barres, and studio theatre.

Fees and funding

2023/24 fees for this course

The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2023/24 the fees for this course are:

 Fee category Amount
Home (UK students) £9,250*
Foundation Year: TBA**
International

Year 1 (2023/24): £15,800
Year 2 (2024/25): £16,200
Year 3 (2025/26): £16,600
Year 4 (2026/27): £17,000

For courses with a sandwich year, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.

* For full-time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.

Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.

** Foundation fees are awaiting the outcomes of the Government's 'Higher education policy statement and reform consultation'.

2022/23 fees for this course

The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2022/23 the fees for this course are:

 Fee category Amount
Home (UK students) £9,250*
International Year 1 (2022/23): £15,400
Year 2 (2023/24): £15,800
Year 3 (2024/25): £16,200

For courses with a sandwich year, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.

* For full-time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.

Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.

Note for EU students: UK withdrawal from the European Union

The Government has recently announced that new students from the European Union and Swiss Nationals starting their course after August 2021 will no longer be eligible for a student loan in England for Undergraduate or Postgraduate studies from the 2021/22 academic year. This decision only applies to new EU students starting after 2021/22. If you are an existing/continuing EU student, you will continue to be funded until you graduate or withdraw from your course.

Need to know more?

Our undergraduate fees and funding section provides information and advice on money matters.

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to buy your own copy of key textbooks, this can cost between £50 and £250 per year.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences. Free WiFi is available on each of the campuses. You may wish to purchase your own computer, which can cost from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.

Photocopying and printing

In the majority of cases written coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing, binding and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees, this may cost up to £100 per year.

Travel

Travel costs are not included in your tuition fees but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses, Surbiton train station, Kingston upon Thames train station, Norbiton train station and halls of residence.

Field trips

There may be optional study visits and field trips. These range from £25 for local trips to various costs for international trips.

External shows and exhibitions

There may be costs for participating at external shows and exhibitions. You could incur travel costs which will vary according to the location.

After you graduate

Career options include performance, choreography, directing, community dance, teaching or producing and managing dance. Outside the performing arts, graduates work in production, event management, fitness instruction, media and teaching.

What our students and graduates say

When I attended my open day at Kingston University it was clear that this was the uni for me: it focuses on delivering a range of styles with a lot of technique thrown in. Having a tour of the campus really gave me a feel of how welcoming everyone is and I felt welcome straight away.

Kingston as a town is very appealing, not only the shopping and chilled-out vibe but also the convenience of central London being so close, making socialising very easy and also handy for taking extra classes to enhance my uni journey.

My favourite thing about this course is the diversity. We study so many different styles, from contemporary to Indian to African to salsa; they give us so many opportunities for when we go into the industry. Not only is what we study diverse but also the people we meet on the course – there are people from all over the world.

Kingston University's main strength is the help that you get from staff, not only the lecturers but all staff in student support and beyond. They are all ready to give you help so don't be afraid to ask!

This course will help with my career as I want to teach in the future. It's given me the physical and mental ability to do so, my knowledge of the body and how it works is so much better than it was when I first started!

Alycia

Alycia

Throughout my time at Kingston, I had many enjoyable opportunities that pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to develop as an artist and a critical thinker. The course allowed me to graduate as a more rounded dancer, with a broader vocabulary and knowledge of the possibility of dance.

Since graduating, I have had many wonderful opportunities. I dance with B-Hybrid Dance, a contemporary based company and have the role of Company Intern for House of Jazz Company. I teach in Primary Schools for the London Ballet Company School and work at the Royal Academy of Dance as a Class and Information Assistant.

Georgia, graduate

I chose to study at Kingston for the diversity of the Dance BA (Hons) course. It offered unique styles of dance that I would not be able to find at other universities.

All the lecturers are friendly and so easy to talk to: they have made my time being a student totally stress-free, due to their kindness.

Kingston is a great location as it isn't too busy like in central London but you still get the 'city life' feeling. There are so many things to do and everything is accessible.

Outside studying, I take part in the KUDs dance society and am hoping to go to America to study in my third year, which is an amazing opportunity.

Kingston is a great university offering a lot of activities as well as support.

This course has enlightened me to all the possible careers I could have and has helped me decide what would be best for me.

Luka

When I walked into the main building I had a feeling and just knew this was the right place for me and that's no exaggeration. What struck me the most was how all of the lecturers were so friendly. They wanted to get to know me, but they also wanted me to get to know them as well.

The balance between contact time and independent study helped bring the most out of me. There was enough time spent with the lectures to really push me to learn and develop. Then enough independent time to develop my own artistic identity.

Since graduating, I have successfully gained representation and I'm working with my agent to break into the industry.

Ashley, graduate

Starting BA Hons Dance at Kingston University was daunting at first but I was quickly put at ease when welcomed by such friendly teachers and existing students!

Everybody is so helpful and genuinely wants the best for you during your dance journey.

Louisa

Key information set

The scrolling banner(s) below display some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).

Course changes and regulations

The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.

Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.

Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.