Diploma in Dance Performance

Students must have completed the Certificate in Dance Performance before enrolling in the Diploma, which entails one additional year of study.

The Diploma year focuses on performance, offering students a range of diverse performance experiences both within the School and externally.

Secondments are an important part of the final year of training at NZSD, providing the opportunity for students to work with a professional dance company for a period of weeks. They gain industry knowledge and contacts through these secondments that often lead to professional contracts.

There are also opportunities for classical students in their third year to train at other tertiary dance institutions for a period of weeks. There are three schools that NZSD has an ongoing relationship with:

• Royal Winnipeg Ballet School

• Australian Ballet School

• Canada's National Ballet School.

These visiting programmes give the student an opportunity to experience different teaching methodologies, enjoy a fresh environment and meet friends and important dance-world contacts. Students are chosen by the Director as representatives of the New Zealand School of Dance.

Third year contemporary students get the chance to create their own contemporary choreography in the school's annual Choreographic Season. The students choreograph on the Second and Third Year contemporary students, and the resulting work is performed over a ten-peformance season at Te Whaea Theatre.  As part of this season, students learn how to collaborate with lighting and costume designers, production and stage managers from Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School. Students also receive media training as part of this project.

Throughout their third year, all students maintain their studies in classical and contemporary technique and learn a diverse range of repertoire in readiness for the industry. In addition, third year students complete a module in Career Planning.

Both academic and theoretical classes are regularly reviewed through formal and informal assessments, and promotion into the third year of training is based on achievement.