Course summary

Why choose this course Guildford School of Acting (GSA) is one of the UK’s leading accredited drama schools, providing dedicated conservatoire training within a purpose-built environment on the University of Surrey campus. This practice-based interdisciplinary programme is one of very few in the fast growing and impactful professional field of movement direction. This programme is suitable for performers and practitioners from dance, movement, and theatre; or practitioners from related fields who want to develop their knowledge of movement and gain practical skills and experience in movement direction and teaching. You will learn a range of skills, methods, and approaches to movement, and work in a hands-on way to apply these in rehearsal and teaching contexts and develop your personal approach to movement direction. Through your training with us, guest workshops and masterclasses, and placement opportunities you will develop as a skilled, thoughtful, resilient movement professional ready to contribute to the performing arts industry. We keep our cohorts small to ensure you get personal attention and contact from our expert teachers, who have extensive first-hand experience in professional theatre in the UK and around the world.  Our campus boasts great transport links to London, so you’ll be close to the heart of UK theatre in London’s West End. The University of Surrey is home to the National Resource Centre for Dance which includes the personal archives of the prominent movement theorist Rudolf Laban as well as a wide range of other collections. What you will study Through a series of modules focusing on specific aspects of movement practice, you will build your skills in movement practices and approaches relevant to today’s performers. Modules will focus on movement pedagogy, movement directing, devising and choreography, and intimacy direction and co-ordination, allowing you to develop a thorough understanding of the body and its possibilities, and an overview of historical and contemporary movement practices. Applying your learning to classes and productions across GSA and through placements will support you to develop your practice and understanding in specific project-based work. The MFA builds on the MA, providing the opportunity to deepen and extend your professional practice in the second year, through extended study and placements in teaching and rehearsal processes. Throughout, you will work practically and experientially to gain key movement teaching and coaching skills, expand your creative possibilities, and develop your personal approach to leading and directing movement for performers.