Bachelor of Dance(Honours)(VCA)

The Bachelor of Dance (Honours) is a more advanced and specialised course of study requiring a higher standard of performance than the pass degree. It involves one year of additional study following the completion of the requirements for a pass degree. The Honours year will provide an opportunity for graduates of the School of Dance to extend their knowledge and dance experience by undertaking a specialised advanced program in a fourth year of study which may lead to formal postgraduate studies and/or to opportunities to enter the dance industry with enhanced knowledge and experience. A substantial part of the honours year program will involve practical studies undertaken as field experience or in the VCA’s performance company. These studies will enhance the students career prospects and also ensure their adequate preparation for postgraduate studies in dance such as the Master of Dance (Performance), where the maintenance of strong dance technique is essential.

Students who are eligible for the Honours program will undertake a major project which will require their secondment to a dance company, or organisation, for field experience. The artistic directors of several dance companies have already expressed their willingness to cooperate with the program as it gives them an opportunity to observe potential recruits in a professional situation over several weeks. The Ausdance network, and organisations such as the Choreographic Centre, have also expressed their interest in mentoring the progress of outstanding students who wish to undertake projects within their jurisdiction. The student gains direct experience in the profession and is guided in this program by experienced mentors from within the industry.

The results applicable to subjects in an honours course are in the range 65% to 100%, ie H3 to H1. A results below 65% is considered a ‘non pass’.

Before a recommendation can be made to award the degree of Bachelor of Dance (Honours) candidates are required to complete 100 points at fourth year level at the appropriate grade level.
A minimum of 7.5 hours of technique training each week in ballet and/or contemporary dance will be required while resident in the School of Dance.

The objectives of this course are to provide opportunities for students:

• to work within their chosen area in the dance industry;
• to devise and perform a dance demonstration program;
• to extend their range of knowledge and competency within their chosen area;
• to prepare for postgraduate studies in dance.

Bachelor of Dance (Honours)

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

At the completion of the Bachelor of Dance (Honours), students should be able to:

• exhibit extensive practical and theoretical knowledge of dance across its various aesthetic domains, including current professional dance practice,
• relevant skills in allied disciplines and current developments in the field;
• apply this knowledge through practical projects within industry and professional standard settings;
• embody an informed respect for the principles, discipline and ethics of the practicing, professional artist;
• demonstrate interpretive abilities in performing new and existing performance scores;
• participate effectively as a team member in projects with a shared focus;
• confidently communicate, both orally and in writing, opinions, ideas and observations with regard to their dance practice and that of others, in group and individual teaching and learning situations;
• respond with a flexible, imaginative and innovative approach to explore, investigate and resolve unfamiliar problems and challenges;
• conceptualise, plan, organise and realise their own choreographed work within the time constraints and demands of the program;
• independently research and investigate areas of theoretical and practical relevance from a wide range of sources;
• critically and creatively engage with topics of cultural significance and effectively participate in or contribute to contemporary cultural discourses;
• exhibit openness to new ideas and unconventional approaches, critiques and practices;
• develop effective planning, management and self-promotional skills.