Contemporary Dance Syllabus

[Nana Lily]

After having discussions with other dance parents we are pretty sure there is no recognised or approved contemporary dance syllabus in the uk. We could be wrong so please do let us know if there is one. Of course the CAT schemes, Laban, Rambert, NSCD and LSCD and others all have courses for vocational students, but what about non vocational students? In New Zealand they do have a syllabus and a very kind NZ ballet.co mum has provided this link. Comments and inputwelcomed

 

 

 

NL

 

(edited for typo's)

Edited March 6, 2012 by Nana Lily

[Anna C]

Interesting topic, Nana Lily! At my DD's Associate classes they study "Creative" dance in the first year - which I am told is a looser type of Cunningham-based choreo. This year they are studying non-syllabus Contemporary. I don't know of any Contemporary syllabi as such, but wouldn't it be a case of taking classes in the different types of Contemporary? Graham, Cunningham, etc?

 

 

[Nana Lily]

Thanks for your reply Spanner! I have no idea, hence the post, trying to establish what is out there, for my own interest. Any one out there know if there is an official "cunningham syllabus" ?

 

Thanks

[Kitschqueen_1]

Ooh this is an interesting question.

My daughter is on one of the CAT schemes and as you said they study a variety of contemporary techniques but it is non- syllabus. There doesn't seem to be an expectation that they have taken any exams to apply for full time vocational courses at 18. (Though many participants are also studying ballet syllabi alongside the CAT.)

The main organisations eg IDTA, ISTD appear to offer syllabi in modern jazz as opposed to contemporary.

Edited March 7, 2012 by Kitschqueen_1

[Nana Lily]

Thanks Kitschqueen, yes I would have thought with the increased exposure contemporary dance has and most of the major classical companies also including contemporary in their rep, one of the UK dance organisations would see this as an opportunity to increase the versatility of their offering. Maybe they are? Would be interesting to hearffrom someone from the RAD/ISTD/IDTA/BBO, or others.

 

NL

[dancerbabe82]

The whole idea of contemporary dance is that it is supposed to 'move with the times' therefore a syllabus as such would be stuck in time. However, there are a lot of Cunningham/Graham based exercises in the ISTD majors (although thats just been revised) and there's a 'release' influence in some of the grades (3 upwards).

 

Interestingly, the RAD inter foundation and inter now have a 'neo classical' variation which is slightly contemporary in its feel but I think that the genre of contemporary dance is really that 'anything goes' and that training therefore needs to include lots of different styles and techniques. A syllabus might be a little too narrow and restricted....