“I have seen so many incredible transformations in terms of how students move and express themselves through movement” – Becoming a versatile dance artist
Stevie Brown - Course administrator Responsible for Student welfare and Foundation degree in Dance alumni.
We see students audition/arrive with a primary style of dance that they have trained in and that dominates how they move and create; This of course is quite standard but a career in dance does demand you to be versatile and flexible ( in many ways) too!
Through my own experience training with IRIE! And through being a part of the team working on the very first BA (Hons) Diverse Dance Style I have seen so many incredible transformations in terms of how students move and express themselves through movement.
The change often happens very quickly, and we see these developments from the first assessments at the end of the first term of training in the different styles as well as taking regular choreography classes. There is a strong creative element to the course ( lead by passionate Choreographer Rosie Lehan) which I think has a huge impact on how the students transform both from a physical and an intellectual perspective; Students are introduced to many way of discovering movement and creating choreography that is meaningful and exciting and are encouraged and guided to be considered but experimental and brave with their choices.
International or visiting artists we work with often comment on the quality and uniqueness of the movement used by students and I too have found myself taken aback and truly impressed and captivated by the work they produce using the different influences and what they have learnt just in that first term!
Because we are connected and work with many different artists as well as having a strong team of permanent tutors that are also still working as dance professionals in other areas of the industry, students frequently have access to performing opportunities or the chances to work on outside projects that will help them develop as artists. Again we always see the huge benefit that gaining industry experience has on the students in helping them understand themselves, their craft and which directions they want to steer themselves.
As a student on the course that proceeded the BA I found it really valuable working with peers with different dance backgrounds and I look back only to remember how much fun I had and how challenging and nurturing of my character, confidence and approach to dance in general the experience was.
The nature of the course means that we invite dancers with a broad range of dance and life backgrounds too and I think this adds even more richness in terms of diversity that you don’t always see represented or get to experience as part of other dance training programs. If I could do it all again I would!