Performing Arts
Case Study
“I travel from Harwich each day, but it’s worth every moment as the course is fun and enjoyable. The lecturers really understand where you are coming from and are very supportive – they let you use your imagination when it comes to singing and acting. As part of the course I’ve learnt how to dance – something I had not done in the past. The course is good as it offers so much if you wish to take up performing arts as a career.
It is definitely the right course for me – I couldn’t picture myself anywhere else. I’ve one more year here before I hopefully go on to drama school in London. I want to become an all round performer and the course is giving me this opportunity.”
Alex Forman
National Diploma in Performing Arts
This highly successful and exciting subject area provides you with a solid grounding in Performing Arts disciplines: Dance, Musical Theatre, Acting and Stage Management.
The courses include visits to West End Theatres, to local productions and to the BBC Television Centre. Our European connections result in a visit by final year students to the town of Arras in Northern France where you will have a true experience of working as part of a small-scale touring company. In 2009 they performed a music production ‘Frankenstein the Musical’, a dance/physical theatre production ‘Bed of Feathers’ and a drama production ‘Candide’. As well as the work with the staff of Performing Arts, most of whom are practitioners in their specific field, visiting practitioners provide a range of exciting and stimulating workshops, including Dance, Mask Work and Aikido. Much of our work is produced in co-operation with local community agencies, and has recently includedstudent created theatre on subjects as varied as domestic abuse, teenage pregnancies and male cancers.
This work has been highly praised and serves to illustrate the vital role that drama can play in highlighting social issues. Students on the courses are in high demand to provide entertainment for many local events which have included The Mayor’s Indulgence Evening, Fashion and Beauty Shows and the Ipswich Town Football Club Annual Summer Party. Students progress to Drama, Dance and Stage-Management courses at universities, drama and dance schools.
Some progress directly into a range of jobs in the entertainment profession. The Performing Arts Department has an excellent record of achievement, and our productions are very highly regarded. The courses we deliver are high-energy and require total commitment from students wishing to aspire to a career in the performing arts industry.