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Bachelor of Dramatic Art
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Course description
The actor training undertaken through the Bachelor of Dramatic Art enables you to explore acting, movement and voice in theatre, film, television, radio and new media.
The Faculty of the VCA and Music believes nthat such training is best delivered by staff who are practising artists. Visiting teachers and directors are of the highest calibre and represent all aspects and genres of performance and production, giving you access to leaders in all fields. The Faculty maintains an international profile, researching and developing the theory and practice of theatre.
Graduates of the Bachelor of Dramatic Art work at the highest levels of excellence in mainstream theatre and have contributed enormously to the development of original work in Australia and throughout the world.
Graduates are renowned for their capacity to work creatively and collaboratively in both traditional and groundbreaking performance contexts.
Structure
The Bachelor of Dramatic Art is a three-year intensive actor-training program, designed to train an ‘Autonomous Actor’. The structure of the course provides intensive skills training, performance-making projects, studio productions and a wide variety of performance opportunities. The structure of the course incorporates skills classes in the morning and rehearsals in the afternoon.
First year – the discovery of self,laying the foundations
The emphasis of the first year is upon releasing the spontaneity and creative fluency of all performers.
Second year – the development of a methodology
The second year is devoted to the continued development of the actor’s creative process. The training includes the investigation of elements inherent in the making and interpreting of work within the contexts of rehearsal and performance. The focus of second year is upon the translation of text into performance; the actor works towards combining training experiences and developing a working methodology.
Third year – performance
Third year refines the actor’s creative process within the context of performance practice.
Depth – developing a specialisation
The following values are interwoven through the structure and content of the Bachelor of Dramatic Art:
• Creative Conflict – the educational environment is distinguished by an atmosphere of permission and freedom overlaid by specific values related to the attainment and mastery of skills.
• Process – the course provides a context in which students can undergo the process of becoming actors with full access to their potential.
• Experiential Research – work methods are open-ended, enabling the actors’ work to be process-oriented rather than product-oriented. This practice emphasises the importance of starting from a point of innocence or from a place of ‘not knowing’ and proceeding, through experiential investigation, to a state of knowledge and understanding and the accomplishment of artistic achievement.
• Mastery of Skill – students are required to attain a high level of psychological, physical, emotional, sensory and vocal fluency.
• Accountability Through Self-Awareness – students develop the disciplines of self-evaluation and self-awareness and in so doing, take responsibility for their own learning.
• Artistic Autonomy – students have the freedom to explore and investigate the acting process.
Subjects by Year
Year 1
• 751-112 - Acting 1
• 754-101 - The Artist in the World - Part 1
• 754-130 - The Artist in the World - Part 2
• 757-113 - Voice 1757-114 - Physical Performance 1
• 757-115 - Critical Studies757-116 - Singing 1
Year 2
• 754-202 & 203 - The World in the Artist 2A & 2B
• 757-212 - Acting 2
• 757-213 - Voice 2
• 757-214 - Physical Performance 2
• 757-216 - Singing 2
• 757-217 - Language
Year 3
• 754-301 - Collaborative Contract
• 754-302 - Professional Development
• 757-311 - Acting Projects
• 757-312 - Acting 3
• 757-313 - Voice 3
• 757-314 - Physical Performance 3
• 757-316 - Singing 3
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