Qualification | Foundation Degree (FdA)
Course Leader | Graham Newell
Validated by | University of Chichester
Course Length | 2 Years, Full-Time (with top-up to Degree in third year)
Start Date | September 2025
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
FdA Dance at Italia Conti is a two-year, full time vocational course for anyone aged 16+ wishing to start their training to become a professional dancer working across a huge range of styles.
Italia Conti’s FdA Dance course is designed to nurture and develop innovative and individual performers, who embody and apply specialist skills and techniques supported by grounded knowledge of industry practices, contexts, and the emerging requirements that empower graduates for a sustainable career in Dance.
The course is validated by University of Chichester. Full government funding is available through Student Finance England for Home students. 16 year old students can also access student finance for this programme.
Students that undertake the FdA at 16, are able to complete three years of training and graduate with a degree at the age of 19, extremely valuable for extraordinarily talented young performers who have already undertaken considerable vocational training.
Students studying on the FdA study a programme of 600 hours per year. Students can study 300 additional vocational training hours, that are not assessed and do not contribute to the study of the core FdA programme. The additional hours are not compulsory, but we do advise that students who undertake more intensive training will see additional development in their practical skills.
Studying the FdA Dance course at Italia Conti will prepare students for dance performance, developing their practice and thinking in an integrated way. Training to be a professional dancer is one of the most exciting and rewarding journeys that students will ever take and we believe that there is nowhere better to take it, than here at Italia Conti.
Training to be a professional performer in Dance requires many things: · Dedication and determination · Strong technique, strength, fitness and flexibility · The ability to think, to research, to analyse and to critique your own work · Bravery: emotional and physical
Italia Conti trains versatile dancers through a broad curriculum of dance styles and techniques to ensure students graduate with the adaptability to work across genres in the professional dance sector. Through classes in ballet, jazz, contemporary, commercial, tap, choreography, aerial and acrobatics skills and supporting skills in singing and acting, students are sure to graduate into the professional dance industry as highly employable multi-faceted performers.
Italia Conti has a proven track record of nurturing talent at the very highest level. Italia Conti graduates can be seen on stage and screen in the UK and internationally. We have graduates working in the West End and on Broadway in musicals and in plays, in national and international tours, in cabarets and on cruise ships. We have graduates working in Film and in Television. We have produced some of the UK’s top recording artists – solo artists and band members.
The course is organised into modules with various modes of assessment.
At Level 4 students focus on the acquisition of core skills in Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary and provide the foundation for their training as a Dancer/ Performer. Students will develop a grounding in choreographic principles and practices. Through dance improvisation and developing skills in a range of practitioner approaches students will acquire the tools and knowledge necessary to create sound choreography which communicates meaning to an audience.
Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of a range of aerial skills such as hoop and silks. Fundamentals in supporting skills will allow them to develop further performance skills in acting, singing and tap dance. Students will learn to apply the skills they have learnt holistically in a dance project, with emphasis placed on performance and collaboration
Core technical skills classes continue, but become more advanced and more integrated. Students will consolidate existing skills and explore a wider range of styles within the dance genres as well as deepening their technical and expressive abilities. More project work is introduced, in which the core disciplines become interdependent. A Dance Performance module provides students with the opportunity to develop their collaborative, creative, rehearsal and performance skills in two contrasting Dance Projects.
Additional Vocational Training Hours provide students with additional Jazz performance and Commercial classes and a weekly guest workshop with an industry guest tutor. In Year 2, students will also have bi-weekly 1:1 singing lessons. Students on the vocational top-up programme will also get the opportunity to perform in Italia Conti’s 1st and 2nd Year Summer Show at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking. The year-long vocational hours programme offers 300 additional hours of training.
Students on the FdA Dance are automatically offered the opportunity to complete their degree training with a third year of study at Italia Conti and will ultimately be awarded a BA (Hons) Dance qualification. No audition is required, but students must complete and pass the FdA. Students who do not adhere to the Student Code of Conduct may not be invited to transfer into a third year of study.
At Level 6 the emphasis is on preparing students for a career as a professional performer. This final year bridges the gap between professional training and the professional dance world. The priority for this year is to develop students’ capacity to engage with the profession in multiple ways, maximising their employability and innovative skills in readiness for entry into the dance profession.
The Professional Preparation and Employability module will hone audition technique to ensure that students have all the skills necessary to embark upon a successful professional career. This also extends to preparation for all wider soft-skills and supporting areas for professional practitioners including sourcing and choosing headshots, joining and populating Spotlight, creating personal showreel performance reels and meeting with leading industry creatives, agents and casting directors to begin networking.
Students will participate in two professional shows and an industry showcase, working with external industry choreographers/directors. Agents, casting directors and other industry professionals are invited to performances to facilitate representation and exposure.
Students will also complete a practical Independent Performance Project (dissertation) in the third term where they will present their own dance performance, encouraging independent and professional working practices in the development of their own work in response to question, theme, or stimulus.
Student Finance is available for the BA Hons Dance top-up year, and the course consists of 900 contact hours.
FdA UK Tuition Fees| £9250 per academic year, (paid in advanced termly instalments by student finance or private funding)
Vocational Hours | £2800 + VAT per academic year, (paid in termly or monthly instalments directly to Italia Conti by private funding)
Vocational Hours Scholarships | Scholarships for the Vocational Hours Top-up are available and awarded at audition for the programme.
BA Hons Top-up Year | £9250 per academic year, (paid in advanced termly instalments by student finance or private funding)
NB | There is no additional payment for vocational hours available in the top-up year.
Audition Fee | £45 (non-refundable)
Deposit | £275 (The deposit is refundable within 14 calendar days of the payment being received by Italia Conti but will not be refunded thereafter for non-enrolment. It will be held by the School and will be refundable on completion of the course, without interest, less any outstanding sums owed by the student to Italia Conti.)
For further information, please see our International Applications page.
Terms and conditions apply upon acceptance to Italia Conti.
The FdA course offers the following funding options:
NB DaDA funding is only available across the sector for Level 6 Trinity Diploma Courses
NB Student Finance is also available for the 1 Year BA Top Up.
Italia Conti welcomes applications for audition fee waivers for those who are eligible.
Italia Conti welcomes applications for deposit fee waivers for those who are eligible.
ENTRY TO FdA DANCE REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING:
16+ by the 31st August in the year of entry.
Level 2 English and Maths at GCSE Grade 4 or above or recognised equivalent qualifications.
Either:
64 UCAS points or;
Admission through recognition of non-standard entry qualifications/experience
Qualifications contributing to UCAS points entry requirements may include:
A level: CC Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: MPP Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma: MM Access to HE Diploma: M = 15 credits, P = 30 credits
Other qualifications that attract UCAS points such as UAL, RSL, OCR Diplomas, Extended Diplomas and T-Levels.
IELTS Level 6 (for students for whom English is not their first language and who do not have GCSE English or equivalent) Legal right to reside/study in the UK for the full period of the programme. Successful audition through Italia Conti, details of which can be found below. Evidence in hard copy of all the above must be provided.
Application to the FdA Dance course should be made through both UCAS and direct application via the link below. Applicants must complete this form and pay the audition fee (£45) in order to be considered for the course. Applicants cannot apply through UCAS alone for this programme.
Audition fees are non-refundable. These fees act as both an administration fee for processing your application as well as a non-refundable deposit for a place on an audition day.
Direct Application Form (italiaconti-apply.co.uk)
Please note that our listing on UCAS can be found by searching either Italia Conti or University of Chichester.
UCAS Institution Code | C58
UCAS Course Code | IC5W
Applicants who have applied through UCAS and who have not completed Italia Conti direct application form should click the link above or contact admissions@italiaconti.co.uk for support.
In line with our admissions policy, Italia Conti reserves the right to alter or withdraw offers at any point. Places on our courses are limited; it is usual for drama schools to make more offers than there are places. Acceptances are dealt with on a first come first serve basis and so early acceptance is advised.
After completing the application process you will be invited to submit an audition tape where you will be required to demonstrate a variety of skills. Successful applicants will be invited to an in person recall audition at our Woking site. Information about auditions can be found below.
First round applicants will receive the result from their audition submission within 3-4 weeks of receipt. This is to ensure that every submission deserves our full time and attention.
Please record yourself performing the following exercises as taught in the video:
Ballet: Plié and tendu exercise Battement Fondu and Rond de Jambe en l’aire exercise Adage Pirouette combination Petit Changement
Jazz: Kicks and Pirouette combination Jump combination
Auditionees should prepare one dance piece in your preferred style, no longer than one minute. This should showcase your strengths and highlight any special skills.
Required dress:
Please wear tight fitting clothing to allow the panel to see your movement fully.
You will be required to participate in three dance classes at your recall; Ballet, Technical Centre Practice, a class where you will learn a set piece of Jazz choreography, and a contemporary dance class will be taught. You will also be asked to perform your first round self tape solo dance and explore this movement further through guidance and redirection from the panel. Each class will last 30 minutes.
Required dress: Jazz shoes or trainers that are suitable for dance (i.e. no Converse or similar fashion shoes that are not designed for dance). No loose clothing or jewellery is permitted.
INTERVIEW During the day you will be invited for a short interview with a member of the Senior Leadership/Course Management team.
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“I feel the college allowed me to completely work to my individual strengths and pushed me both as a dancer and a performer to be able to go out and audition. I felt fully equipped to face the industry as it stands now, and gained me first professional job whilst still in my third year.”
“The influx of inspiring people flowing through the building creates an atmosphere for greatness and I am honoured to be a part of that.”
“Italia Conti allowed me to do my favorite thing, every day in a safe space amongst talented, supportive people. Being taught by skillful tutors was invaluable. The small classes ensured my voice was always heard and helped me hone my skills.”