3 YEAR PERFORMING ARTS DIPLOMA COURSE FOR STUDENTS OVER 16 YEARS
Accredited by the CDET Leading to the NationalDiploma in Professional Musical Theatre



The 3 Year Diploma Course is specifically designed to respond to the demands of today's entertainment industry and produce confident, articulate and multi-skilled performers. Ideally, but not necessarily, students should be working at Intermediate or above dance standard at the time of audition. Some prior acting and vocal training or experience is also beneficial but again not essential. The course structure combines professional vocational training with contextual studies, with the emphasis on achieving multi-disciplinary excellence throughout. Students undertake an exciting variety of projects, workshops and performances during their courses. Media Arts are considered a vital part of today's training and students benefit greatly from using the Academy's audio/video/IT facilities.

Progress is carefully monitored and regular tutorials and assessments, together with the annual 'Directors Audition', ensure students get continual feedback on their progress and are achieving the necessary standards required for progression to the next year of the course.

THE FIRST YEAR
Students focus on a broad-based core curriculum concentrating on achieving strong basic technical skills in dance, acting and singing. Contextual studies in anatomy, health & safety, history of musical theatre and drama & theatre studies provide related academic content. In-house student productions allow for the development of artistic confidence and peer co-operation. All first year students attend a personal interview with the Principal to consider progress and options for the second year.

THE SECOND YEAR
Timetables are individually adjusted to allow for personal strengths and needs. Students now begin to consolidate the technical competence achieved in the first year and place greater focus on artistry and presentation skills. The curriculum is widened to include specialist subjects such as stage combat.

THE THIRD YEAR
Course content prepares the student for professional work by integrating the technical, theoretical and artistic concepts of the course in performance. While maintaining attendance at technical classes, students at this level are expected to acquire and develop depth and style in performance and are given the opportunity to perform in public productions.

Throughout the course students who achieve the necessary skill levels are encouraged to take external examinations in varying theatre disciplines with recognised outside boards.

Students who successfully complete the course graduate with the Academy's Diploma and the National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre which is awarded through Trinity College (London). This qualification is banded at Level 6, which equates to a First Degree.

COURSE CONTENT
Courses may include: Acting (classical and modern text, devising, improvisation, LAMDA, physical theatre, play reading, performance, scene study) acting for camera, acting workshops, anatomy/nutrition/health & safety, classical ballet (freestyle, syllabi & Pas-de-Deux), contemporary dance, dance workshops , drama practical, drama theory, fitness, gymnastics, history of musical theatre, jazz (techniques & choreography), modern dance, music, musical theatre and production, performance, pilates, presentation & professional skills, singing (choral, ensemble, harmony, microphone technique, recording, repertoire, solo coaching), singing workshops, stage combat, tap, theatre in education production, video production, voice (speech & dialect).

Government-funded Dance and Drama Awards (DaDAs) will continue to be available in 2013/14 for new students starting courses as well as continuing learners. Awards for new students will however now be income assessed for both school fees and maintenance on the basis of a national scale – with students from lower income families contributing less and those from higher income families contributing more. Arrangements for existing students who will be entering their second or third year of study in 2013 will remain unchanged, until these students have finished their courses.

'The Dance and Drama Awards are scholarships offering greatly reduced tuition fees and income-assessed support with living and learning costs at some of the leading independent dance and drama schools in England. They are funded by the Education Funding Agency.'



" I left the Academy feeling well equipped to deal with the profession,
which was due to the excellent teaching staff, some of whom I still turn to."
CLAIRE GOOSE, FORMER STUDENT