We recently reached out to discover your burning questions about the BA (Hons) Performing Arts course. Dr Sally Crawford-Shepherd, course leader at our Manchester campus, has graciously answered the four most popular questions. Take it away, Sally!
HOW MANY CONTACT HOURS will we have PER WEEK?
You will have a total of 24 contact hours a week for practical lessons and theory sessions. There are also additional practical hours, such as Additional Professional Skills sessions, that allow you to develop skills to help you stay competitive in the industry.
WHAT IS THE SPLIT BETWEEN SINGING/ACTING/DANCING?
On both the Musical Theatre and Acting pathways, students will develop skills in singing, movement, and acting. In the Acting pathway, students focus on vocal techniques, ensemble singing, physical theatre and movement techniques, and a variety of acting techniques. In the Musical Theatre pathway, students train equally across various dance styles, musical theatre vocal techniques, ensemble singing, and acting through song approaches.
HOW OFTEN WILL I GET TO PERFORM IN PRODUCTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE?
In your first and second year, you will be involved in one devised or scripted performance project each semester, which will be performed in-house. In your final year, you will perform in one professional production for a public audience each semester. In your final year, you will also have opportunities to perform in Agent Showcases, at Agent Panels, and in Final Projects. All students can collaborate on projects across BIMM Manchester, such as acting in short films for Screen and Film school students or dancing in music videos for Music students.
DO I HAVE TO DO ANY WRITING ON THE COURSE?
Yes, but all written work focuses on preparing you for the Performing Arts Industry. In your first two years, you have four modules per semester. Three of these modules focus on developing practical skills and techniques, while the remaining module focuses on developing your theoretical understanding of your disciplines (Acting or Musical Theatre). These theory modules also enable you to develop skills that will help you promote yourself and your work as an artist. This may involve collaborating with other creatives, producing and writing work, and pitching your ideas to audiences or companies. Some of the assessments for the theory modules are written reflections, video presentations, digital portfolios, or written promotional materials (e.g., CVs and Cover Letters). In your final year, two of your modules focus on transitioning you from university to the industry. These modules focus on skills such as proposal writing, practical research as part of creative development, self-promotion, and producing creative projects.
Thanks to Sally for taking the time to answer these questions, if you have any more burning questions about the BA (Hons) Performing Arts course at ICTheatre, drop us an email at [email protected] or visit us at an upcoming Open Day.
To discover more about joining Institute for Contemporary Theatre, including auditions and how to apply, contact us at [email protected] or book an Open Day on our Events page.
