become a student at DANCEWORKS
Choose your program
At DANCEWORKS berlin you can start with a pre-education or start with full-time dance training if you have the appropriate dancing skills.
You can find all information about the structure, the subjects and the costs on this page.
You can also register directly for the audition (live or online) or reserve a place in the pre-education.
3-years education in contemporary dance
It is possible to start your education with us in the winter semester (October) or in the summer semester (April).
It is a full-time course over three years; Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
In addition to dance and theory subjects, there are regular excursions to theatres, master classes, workshops and community events.
The basic requirement for admission to our education is a successfully passed audition.
Pre-education
'Dance as a Profession' (TAB)
Our pre-education lasts 5 months and starts either in February or in September.
Classes take place from Monday to Friday from
5:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
There is no entrance audition, but previous dance experience is expected. The pre-training ends with a public performance.
Our education in contemporary dance
Structure
1
In the first year of study you will develop your technical and physical skills, including your strength and endurance, and expand your previous dance experience. Your schedule will include ballet classes, various modern dance techniques (like Horton and Limon), contemporary dance classes, corework, improvisation and composition. You also have time for artistic research and start to explore your creativity. Together we will discuss what your goals are and what you would like to focus on in your training. You can use this first year to experiment, challenge yourself, reflect, improve and continuously work on your skills. You get to know different choreographers and will already perform on stage several times.
2
In the second year of study, you refine your technical and artistic skills. Contemporary influences are added in ballet, in modern dance you get to know Graham and Cunningham, the contemporary dance classes are intensified and complemented by partnering and repertoire. In all areas you will get to know new approaches, styles and teachers. Two composition blocks await you, so that you can work more on your individual artistic language. The performance opportunities are increasing and you can perform in different locations and locations. You will also learn which activities occur 'behind the scenes' e.g. light and sound installation, costumes, stage design, staging...
3
In the third year of study (your final year!) it is all about defining your uniqueness and putting the finishing touches to it. You will become familiar with a variety of modern and contemporary techniques, create your graduation piece, develop your artistic thesis as a basis for scholarships and funding projects, receive targeted mentoring and present yourself as a dancer and your own pieces in different environments and contexts. You are now ready to gain a foothold in the professional dance scene and present yourself with confidence.
In the case of outstanding performance and special talent, we offer you the opportunity (regardless of your academic year) to be included in our Excellence class. You will have additional dance classes, own projects or opportunities to perform.
additional subjects
Community support, inspiration and exchange have high priority for us.
Therefore, our training also includes subjects that are taught together.
Master classes & workshops
We regularly invite international guest teachers and choreographers of various styles to train your receptivity and adaptability and to shape your network. After the events there is enough time for discussions, feedback, expert tips and tricks as well as questions and suggestions. Mock auditions also take place.
Eg contemporary partnering, urban styles, drama, somatic work, musical theater dance, voice training, physical theatre for dancers
Theory & context studies
In addition to physical training, it is also important to train artistic understanding in order to bring theory and practice together. You will be actively involved in the theoretical subjects, there are group assignments and discussions.
e.g. dance history, musicality, dance management, anatomy, nutrition, contextual studies, self-analysis, facescreening
body & mind
You will also find supplementary subjects in your timetable that strengthen stamina and strength, ensure mental health and balance or improve your body understanding.
eg Yoga, Pilates, Conditioning, Floor Barre, Gyrokinesis, Core Work, Circle Training
Events
In addition to daily training, joint activities should not be neglected - whether as additional inspiration, to strengthen the sense of community or simply to switch off and have fun.
FREIdance
Every last Friday of the month we organize an internal showing in our largest and most beautiful Studio 2. Here you have the chance to present what you have learned over the past few weeks, your own choreographies, initial ideas, work-in-progress studies, etc. We would like to offer you a platform for exchange and mutual inspiration. When you are on stage, you gain stage experience, when you are in the audience, you sharpen your senses by observing and consolidating your own artistic opinion.
Update: our Studio 2 is getting a new look - soon you will find spotlights, a grandstand and a new sound system here. So like a real little theatre.
Excursions
We regularly go to open rehearsals, in theatres, performance venues and cultural centers so that you can find out what is happening in the dance scene, what pieces there are, which choreographers and companies are currently performing. Afterwards there is the opportunity to talk to the producers, choreographers and dancers, to exchange ideas and to take important input for your own career with you.
Berlin, as a vibrant capital with a diverse dance landscape and international ensembles and project groups, offers ample opportunities for this. In addition, trips to other cities and venues are planned, as well as exchange programs with other universities and training centers.
Get-together
End of semester, start of vacation, graduation, Christmas... There are always reasons to celebrate. And where there is so much dancing, there can also be a party. The Vagabund brewery in our backyard is a very popular meeting place with a relaxed atmosphere and fair prices.
Costs & audition
Tuition fees are €2,700 per semester (€450/month) for EU students.
We ask international, non-European students to contact us in advance about the costs and to talk about possible models.
Fees are payable in monthly installments, or in one total sum.
If you pay the entire tuition fee (for one school year, ie two semesters), a discount of €270 (about 5%) will be granted.
The school contract is concluded for three years, whereby the first year is a "trial year" and can be terminated with the statutory notice period of three months to the end of the first year.
During their studies, students must have valid health insurance. The students are insured by the school with the trade association for injuries during school time.
The training is entitled to BAföG. When you present your student ID to the BVG, you will receive training tickets (trainee/student tickets with student ID II) for public transport.
International students (non-European) are welcome. Our teacher Sarah Hardy is an international expert and is available as a contact person. We offer support for all organizational matters that come with studying with us (e.g. visa application, permits, etc.).
We welcome applications and offer regular zoom auditions.
In order to be admitted to the training, you must successfully pass an entrance exam. We plan sufficient time for assessment and feedback discussions.
The entrance exam consists of the subjects ballet, modern and contemporary dance. Please be prepared to perform a short solo (about 1 min).
Please also send us a CV with information about your previous dance experiences. To be able to take the exam, you have to register online here. Registration costs 30 euros or 50 euros for the video option. You will receive all further information in a confirmation email.
Pre-education 'Dance as a Profession' (TAB)
Why choose this program?
You love to dance and are considering starting a professional dance education? You already have previous experience and would like to raise your dancing skills to a more intensive level? Are you looking for a new challenge?
Duration & Subjects
Our 'Dance as a Profession' (Tanz als Beruf) program lasts five months and always begins in February or September. You can also participate more than once.
Every day (Mon-Fri) you attend two dance classes of 90 minutes each and improve both your technical basis and your creative skills. Classes take place in the early evening between 5:00-6:30 p.m. and 6:45-8:15 p.m.
These classes await you: contemporary dance, floor work/acrobatics, ballet, modern, jazz dance, urban styles, improvisation, creative work/composition and Pilates/yoga.
Most of the teachers in the pre-training program also teach in our professional education in a differentiated and goal-oriented way in order to promote individual support while maintaining the general pedagogical and artistic goal.
Final performance
At the end of the program there is a public performance where you can present what you have learned. If you want, you can also show your own creation. You will also receive a certificate (if you participate at least 75%)
If you then want to start our vocational training, we encourage you to take part in one of our auditions and provide you with specific assistance.
Costs
The total fee for the program is €1,750 (5 x monthly payments of €350 each). If you pay the entire tuition fee “in one sum”, there is a discount of 5%.
