Two Year training in Dance at Italia Conti (FdA Dance + AVT) is a full-time vocational course for anyone aged 16+ who wishes to become a professional dancer. The training develops versatility across multiple dance styles and performance contexts, preparing students for sustainable careers on stage, screen, and in commercial, creative, and community settings.
Our Dance training is designed to develop adaptable and innovative performers, who embody technical excellence, artistic individuality, and a strong understanding of professional practice. You gain the skills to perform, create, and collaborate, supported by contextual knowledge that reflects current and emerging demands of the dance industry.
The programme offers a rigorous and immersive training experience, with students taught across streams aligned to their intended qualification outcome.
FdA Dance & AVT
Studying the FdA Dance course at Italia Conti will prepare students for dance performance, developing their practice and thinking in an integrated way. Training to be a professional dancer is one of the most exciting and rewarding journeys that students will ever take and we believe that there is nowhere better to take it, than here at Italia Conti.
Training to be a professional performer in Dance requires many things: · Dedication and determination · Strong technique, strength, fitness and flexibility · The ability to think, to research, to analyse and to critique your own work · Bravery: emotional and physical
Italia Conti trains versatile dancers through a broad curriculum of dance styles and techniques to ensure students graduate with the adaptability to work across genres in the professional dance sector. Through classes in ballet, jazz, contemporary, commercial, tap, choreography, aerial and acrobatics skills and supporting skills in singing and acting, students are sure to graduate into the professional dance industry as highly employable multi-faceted performers.
Italia Conti has a proven track record of nurturing talent at the very highest level. Italia Conti graduates can be seen on stage and screen in the UK and internationally. We have graduates working in the West End and on Broadway in musicals and in plays, in national and international tours, in cabarets and on cruise ships. We have graduates working in Film and in Television. We have produced some of the UK’s top recording artists – solo artists and band members.
As an Associate College of The University of Chichester, Italia Conti delivers the FdA Dance programme. This two-year, full-time vocational course for anyone aged 16+. The course is organised into modules with various modes of assessment.
Full government funding is available through Student Finance England for Home students. Students on the degree course are eligible to enroll on Italia Conti’s Advanced Vocational Training (AVT) alongside their degree course.
At Level 4 students focus on the acquisition of core skills in Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary and provide the foundation for their training as a Dancer/ Performer. Students will develop a grounding in choreographic principles and practices. Through dance improvisation and developing skills in a range of practitioner approaches students will acquire the tools and knowledge necessary to create sound choreography which communicates meaning to an audience.
Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of a range of aerial skills such as hoop and silks. Fundamentals in supporting skills will allow them to develop further performance skills in acting, singing and tap dance. Students will learn to apply the skills they have learnt holistically in a dance project, with emphasis placed on performance and collaboration
Core technical skills classes continue, but become more advanced and more integrated. Students will consolidate existing skills and explore a wider range of styles within the dance genres as well as deepening their technical and expressive abilities. More project work is introduced, in which the core disciplines become interdependent. A Dance Performance module provides students with the opportunity to develop their collaborative, creative, rehearsal and performance skills in two contrasting Dance Projects.
Additional Vocational Training Hours provide students with additional Jazz performance and Commercial classes and a weekly guest workshop with an industry guest tutor. In Year 2, students will also have bi-weekly 1:1 singing lessons. Students on the vocational top-up programme will also get the opportunity to perform in Italia Conti’s 1st and 2nd Year Summer Show at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking. The year-long vocational hours programme offers 350 additional hours of training.
Students on the FdA Dance are automatically offered the opportunity to complete their degree & AVT training with a third year of study at Italia Conti and will ultimately be awarded a BA (Hons) Dance qualification and AVT Certificate. No audition is required, but students must complete and pass the FdA and respective AVT. Students who do not adhere to the Student Code of Conduct may not be invited to transfer into a third year of study.
In Year 3 the emphasis is on preparing students for a career as a professional performer. This final year bridges the gap between professional training and the professional dance world. The priority for this year is to develop students’ capacity to engage with the profession in multiple ways, maximising their employability and innovative skills in readiness for entry into the dance profession.
The Professional Preparation and Employability module will hone audition technique to ensure that students have all the skills necessary to embark upon a successful professional career. This also extends to preparation for all wider soft-skills and supporting areas for professional practitioners including sourcing and choosing headshots, joining and populating Spotlight, creating personal showreel performance reels and meeting with leading industry creatives, agents and casting directors to begin networking.
Students will participate in two performances and an industry showcase, working with external industry choreographers/directors. Agents, casting directors and other industry professionals are invited to performances to facilitate representation and exposure.
Students will also complete a practical Independent Performance Project (dissertation) in the third term where they will present their own dance performance, encouraging independent and professional working practices in the development of their own work in response to question, theme, or stimulus.
Student Finance is available for the BA Hons Dance top-up year, and the course consists of 550 contact hours. Students can continue to study Additional Vocational Training in Year 3.
Degree Tuition Fees | £9535 per academic year, (paid in advanced termly instalments). Student finance is available, which includes access to a Tuition Fee Loan and Student Maintenance Loan. These payments are made to directly to the University of Chichester.
Advanced Vocational Training Diploma | £2800 + VAT, (paid in advanced termly instalments). These private fees are payable directly to Italia Conti.
If topping up:
Scholarships and Bursaries | Available for our AVT fees. Scholarships are awarded upon outcome of audition. You may apply for a bursary here by contact admissions@italiaconti.co.uk
Please note: DaDA funding is not available for the FdA or AVT coursers, it is only available across the sector for Level 6 Trinity Diploma Courses
Audition Fee | £45 (non-refundable) Deposit | £275 (The deposit is refundable within 14 calendar days of the payment being received by Italia Conti but will not be refunded thereafter for non-enrolment. It will be held by Italia Conti and will be refundable on completion of the course, without interest, less any outstanding sums owed by the student to Italia Conti.)
For further information, please see our International Applications page.
Italia Conti welcomes applications for audition fee waivers for those who are eligible.
Terms and conditions apply upon acceptance to Italia Conti.
HE & AVT Terms & Conditions
Evidence in hard copy of all the above must be provided at enrolment.
Applications to Italia Conti are made by direct application via the link below only.
Applicants DO NOT need to complete a UCAS application for Italia Conti.
Applicants must complete the application form and pay the audition fee (£45) in order to be considered.
Audition fees are non-refundable. These fees act as both an administration fee for processing your application as well as a non-refundable deposit for a place on an audition day.
Applicants are encouraged to express on the form interest in any other courses/streams they would like to be considered for e.g. Three Year Musical Theatre, in addition to the course directly being applied for.
All applicants are considered for the One Year Foundation Courses, by standard.
You will also be asked to indicate if you are opting out of the Additional Vocational Training (AVT) diploma, which is offered to applicants to enhance their vocational training.
In line with our admissions policy, Italia Conti reserves the right to alter or withdraw offers at any point. Places on our courses are limited; it is usual for drama schools to make more offers than there are places. Acceptances are dealt with on a first come first serve basis and so early acceptance is advised.
After completing the application process, you will be invited to submit an audition tape where auditionees will be required to demonstrate a variety of skills. Successful applicants will be invited to a recall audition on site. Information about auditions can be found below.
If there’s something that might shape your experience with us – such as access requirements, a disability, being neurodivergent, something related to a protected characteristic, or anything else you’d like to share – please let us know. This kind of information isn’t always obvious from an application.
You can contact:
We’re here to listen and discuss what support or reasonable adjustments could help you feel confident and supported throughout the process.
First round applicants will receive the result from their audition submission within 3-4 weeks of receipt. This is to ensure that every submission deserves our full time and attention.
Please record yourself performing the following exercises as taught in the video:
Ballet:
Jazz:
Auditionees should prepare one dance piece in your preferred style, no longer than one minute. This should showcase your strengths and highlight any special skills.
Please wear tight fitting clothing to allow the panel to see your movement fully.
You will be required to participate in three dance classes at your recall; Ballet, Technical Centre Practice, a class where you will learn a set piece of Jazz choreography, and a contemporary dance class will be taught. You will also be asked to perform your first round self tape solo dance and explore this movement further through guidance and redirection from the panel. Each class will last 30 minutes.
Required dress: Jazz shoes or trainers that are suitable for dance (i.e. no Converse or similar fashion shoes that are not designed for dance). No loose clothing or jewellery is permitted.
Free online dance classes on the Italia Conti Virtual YouTube Channel
“I feel the college allowed me to completely work to my individual strengths and pushed me both as a dancer and a performer to be able to go out and audition. I felt fully equipped to face the industry as it stands now, and gained me first professional job whilst still in my third year.”
“The influx of inspiring people flowing through the building creates an atmosphere for greatness and I am honoured to be a part of that.”
“Italia Conti allowed me to do my favorite thing, every day in a safe space amongst talented, supportive people. Being taught by skillful tutors was invaluable. The small classes ensured my voice was always heard and helped me hone my skills.”