Become a versatile dancer whilst having the opportunity to explore your creative and performance skills across a variety of different areas such as stage and digital productions and dance for camera.
of students said staff often made the subject engaging
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Overview
Whether you're interested in dance technique, choreography, or performance skills, this degree is all about practical work. As you explore a wide range of dance styles, including contemporary, jazz, musical, ballet, and commercial, you'll gain the experience and confidence to start your career in dance.
Throughout the course, you'll have opportunities to perform on stage, outside and on film. You’ll also explore the relationship between dance and wellbeing, exploring ideas such as dance therapy.
You will be taught by highly experienced industry practitioners who will help you to develop and refine your technical skills. You'll learn through a combination of workshops, lectures, seminars, and rehearsals, all underpinned by performance projects and productions. There are plenty of 1-1 opportunities with lecturers, giving you focused training to transform you into a confident and well-rounded performer.
Our assessment methods also have a practical focus. These include dance performances, portfolios and choreographed work. Whether you want to perform, teach or work in the wider industry, this course will provide you with the knowledge and practical experience to achieve your goals.
Placement
We offer placement and project modules, allowing you to gain real-world experience and explore various fields within dance, from teaching to musical theatre. Performance opportunities, including touring, and fun, creative projects with set, costume, and lighting offer you the chance to enhance your portfolio.
Dance at Worcester
Course content
Each year you will study a mix of mandatory and optional modules. This flexible course lets you explore different subjects and career paths in dance and performance before choosing to specialise in your final year.
Optional modules will run if they receive enough interest. It is not guaranteed that all modules will run every year.
Careers
We'll prepare you for a range of careers, including working as a professional performer. Alongside the creative content, the course equips you with the creative and entrepreneurial skills to set up as an independent or freelance practitioner. Many of our dance graduates progress successfully onto PGCEs and work as dance specialists in secondary or primary schools.
Our students have become:
- Performers (including on cruising ships)
- Choreographer/creatives
- Dance therapists
- Dance teacher in schools
- Private dance teacher (outside of schools)
- Arts administrators
- Community dance practitioners
The flexible skills and abilities (such as confidence, creativity, and communication) gained throughout the course greatly enhances your broader employability.
Course highlights
Teaching and assessment
A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.
Teaching and assessment contents
Common teaching methods include:
- Technique classes which are essential for developing strong dance skills
- Creative workshops in which the students develop their own work. A range of formats are used to develop a wide range of creative practice
- Theory classes, always supported by practical seminars in which the learning can be contextualised
- Work-based learning/vocational experiences. These develop strong employability skills in the students and can be used after university to support applications for employment.
In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled on at least four occasions in the first year as part of the mandatory modules, and three occasions in each of the other years of a course.
Enhancement opportunities are provided by the course, the department and the school, and might include employer visits, production opportunities, cross-subject or subject-specific talks, collaborations, research opportunities and additional courses/qualifications.
Meet the team
Dr Daniel Somerville
Daniel Somerville is an artist practitioner, senior lecturer and practice researcher. His research interests are in the fields of performance, theatre, gender and opera studies, with particular focus on the concept of the ‘operatic’ and how it manifests in terms of movement, performance practice and convention, and how this may be applied to contemporary performance making. As an artist practitioner he has choreographed, directed and performed nationally (including at Edinburgh Fringe, The Place, Chisenhale Dance Space and Duckie in London, and for Birmingham Rep) and internationally (including National Theatre Namibia, Market Theatre - Johannesburg, Liberdade Provisoria - Lisbon and on a tour of the Czech Republic).
Dr Paul Golz
Paul is an experienced teacher, choreographer, dancer and researcher. Following his initial training at the Centre for Professional Dance Training in Edinburgh he trained as a Graham dancer, however, it is a somatic-based technique that remains his true passion, especially in contact improvisation and creative partner work.
Paul has worked professionally with Misfitted Dance and Birmingham Opera. In 2011, he set up his own company, Ephemeris Dance following his interest in Dance and Digital. He has choreographed work in this arena under Arts Council grants for both his own company and ReadySaltedCode. He currently performs and creates for Riverside Dance Collective.
Dr Ildikó Rippel
Ildikó is a performer, writer and lecturer. She is co-founder and artistic director of Anglo-German performance company Zoo Indigo, devising autobiographical performance that engages with social and political themes of gender, cultural identity, displacement and migration. Zoo Indigo’s work combines dark humour, song and multimedia in a postmodern and kaleidoscopic approach, producing politically charged performances.
Dr Daniel Somerville
Daniel Somerville is an artist practitioner, senior lecturer and practice researcher. His research interests are in the fields of performance, theatre, gender and opera studies, with particular focus on the concept of the ‘operatic’ and how it manifests in terms of movement, performance practice and convention, and how this may be applied to contemporary performance making. As an artist practitioner he has choreographed, directed and performed nationally (including at Edinburgh Fringe, The Place, Chisenhale Dance Space and Duckie in London, and for Birmingham Rep) and internationally (including National Theatre Namibia, Market Theatre - Johannesburg, Liberdade Provisoria - Lisbon and on a tour of the Czech Republic).
Dr Paul Golz
Paul is an experienced teacher, choreographer, dancer and researcher. Following his initial training at the Centre for Professional Dance Training in Edinburgh he trained as a Graham dancer, however, it is a somatic-based technique that remains his true passion, especially in contact improvisation and creative partner work.
Paul has worked professionally with Misfitted Dance and Birmingham Opera. In 2011, he set up his own company, Ephemeris Dance following his interest in Dance and Digital. He has choreographed work in this arena under Arts Council grants for both his own company and ReadySaltedCode. He currently performs and creates for Riverside Dance Collective.
Entry requirements
UCAS tariff points required: 104
| Qualification | Grade |
|---|---|
| A-level | BCC |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DMM |
| T-level | Merit |
Please note graded examinations in dance such as ISTD, IDTA, RAD, BBO often have UCAS points associated with them. We do accept Access to HE Diplomas and other qualifications which may not exactly match the combinations above.
Additional entry requirements
This degree requires previous dance experience equivalent to level 5 (Advanced-Intermediate). This might be from a graded examination or from a level 3 qualification such as a BTEC or A-level in dance/performing arts with strong dance element.
If you do not have these, or do not have formal dance training, we are able to provide an in-house assessment of your dance experience as appropriate for the course. Please contact the Admissions office or course team for more details.
Mature students
If you will be over the age of 21 at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you are considered a mature student. At Worcester this means our offer may be different, taking into account any work or life experiences you have, alongside any qualifications you hold.
If you’re unsure whether you meet certain requirements, you can email our admissions team admissions@worc.ac.uk or contact the course Admissions Tutor.
International students
If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have language skills at IELTS level 6.0 (with no skill below 5.5) or equivalent.
For country specific information see our international student pages.
Fees
Fees contents
UK and EU students
The Government has announced that it will increase tuition fees and maintenance loans by 3.1% from the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 the standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees will be £9,535 per year for new and continuing students.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
International students
The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £16,700 per year.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
Student case study
Lucie Halstead
"The course has been extremely helpful post-graduation, as it gave me a wide variety of experiences, and allowed me to develop a wide range of skills within the dance field, which subsequently I have been able to apply to my work. This included different areas of performance, teaching and choreography. Alongside practical skills, the course also allowed me to develop my theoretical dance knowledge, and my practical advice/knowledge in areas such as being self–employed. The main reason I initially chose the Dance course at Worcester was due to the wide range of areas covered, and the opportunities available, and I can safely say the course exceeded my initial expectations!"
Lucie Halstead
"The course has been extremely helpful post-graduation, as it gave me a wide variety of experiences, and allowed me to develop a wide range of skills within the dance field, which subsequently I have been able to apply to my work. This included different areas of performance, teaching and choreography. Alongside practical skills, the course also allowed me to develop my theoretical dance knowledge, and my practical advice/knowledge in areas such as being self–employed. The main reason I initially chose the Dance course at Worcester was due to the wide range of areas covered, and the opportunities available, and I can safely say the course exceeded my initial expectations!"
Lucie Halstead
"The course has been extremely helpful post-graduation, as it gave me a wide variety of experiences, and allowed me to develop a wide range of skills within the dance field, which subsequently I have been able to apply to my work. This included different areas of performance, teaching and choreography. Alongside practical skills, the course also allowed me to develop my theoretical dance knowledge, and my practical advice/knowledge in areas such as being self–employed. The main reason I initially chose the Dance course at Worcester was due to the wide range of areas covered, and the opportunities available, and I can safely say the course exceeded my initial expectations!"
How to apply
How to apply contents
Applying through UCAS
UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for full-time undergraduate courses in the UK.
Read our how to apply pages for more information on the application process, or if you’d like to apply for part-time study.
Dance and Performance BA - WW5K
Contact
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