
Dance
Welcome to the Dance Department



Department Members
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Audrey O’ Donnell – Head of Dance
What is Dance?
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The dance curriculum focuses on performance, choreography and dance appreciation, with a view to building confidence and appreciation of the aesthetic in conjunction with the promotion of a healthy, active lifestyle. A wide range of dance styles are taught, with ample opportunities for students to learn set repertoire, develop their own choreography and work with others.
Qualifications
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BTEC First Award in Performing Arts: Dance
CCEA Performance Skills
BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Performing Arts: Dance
Afterschool/ Extra Curricular
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Contemporary Dance
Street Dance
Irish Dance
Trips
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The Dance Department regularly offer a range of trips and workshops to support the curriculum and to foster and develop the students’ interest in dance and the performing arts. Some examples of past visits include London theatre trip, Pineapple Dance Studios, Move It Dance Convention, several West End shows and dance performances at the Millennium Forum and Grand Opera House Belfast.
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Professional Links
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Our Dance Department appreciate the value of working with a variety of dance practitioners and companies and are always looking to explore links with performing arts organisations. Our students have benefitted from working with industry professionals to push themselves to their full potential and successfully prepare for careers within the Dance industry. Some artists and companies our students have worked with are:
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Courtenay Brady
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City Dance- Irena Noonan
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City Dance - Elle Hasson
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Moving Bodies -Claire Harkin
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Maiden Voyage Dance Company
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Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company
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Blue Boy Entertainment
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Hofesh Schecter Company
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Pineapple Dance Studios
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Career opportunities​
Many of our students progress onto undergraduate dance programmes at renowned Conservatoires, Universities and institutions such as Trinity Laban, The Royal Academy of Dance, Roehampton University and Leeds University. Our students are all supported with their UCAS application process via personalised tutorials and mentoring, audition preparation. There are many opportunities within careers in fields such as:
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Choreographer
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Community Dance Practitioner
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Company Director
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Dance Performer: Contemporary companies, commercial sector, cruise ships, musical theatre, etc.
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Dance/Arts officer
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Dance Movement Therapist
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Dance Journalist
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Dance Historian
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Dance Teacher/Lecturer: private and public sectors
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Marketing for Dance Companies
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Dance Administrator
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Dance Psychologist
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Youth Worker
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Primary School Teacher
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Dance Film Maker
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Academic Researcher
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Dance Photographer/Videographer
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Dance project coordinator
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Dance company outreach
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Personal Trainer/Fitness Instructor
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Lighting designer/Technical Production
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Costume Designer
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Notation/Choreology