In-person audition places book up quickly so we recommend early submission of your application to guarantee your preferred audition date/time.

Our application form asks for the following:

1. Personal details
2. Place of education
3. Qualifications
4. Place of dance education (this may be the same as your place of education)
5. CV & Showreel
6. Equality and Diversity information

Read our guidance below for more information:

> READ SHOWREEL GUIDANCE 

Once you submit your application you will be redirected to NSCD Box Office either to book your audition, subject to availability and pay the application fee.

Applications without payment will not be processed.

You will also receive an email confirmation from admissions@nscd.ac.uk. Please check and save this email. We recommend you add this email address to your contacts to avoid emails going into your junk/spam folder.

If applying for more than one course please contact admissions@nscd.ac.uk to receive a code to use at checkout to ensure you only pay the application fee once.

STAGE 1 – IN-PERSON auditions for MA Contemporary Dance Performance: VERVE are:

Leeds, Northern School of Contemporary Dance

• Monday 10 February 2025 | 9:00 – 17:00
• Tuesday 11 February 2025 | 9:00 – 17:00

London, Studio Wayne McGregor*

• Saturday 15 February 2025 | 10.00 – 18.00

*Studio Wayne Mcgregor, Broadcast Centre, Here East, 10 East Bay Lane, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E15 2HB

For 2025 Entry NSCD are hosting the following postgraduate overseas auditions:

Postgraduate Audition at Rom for Dans, Norway

• Sat 11 January | 14:00 – 16:45

Postgraduate Audition at City Contemporary Dance Company, Hong Kong

• Tue 18 February | 14:00 – 16:45

Postgraduate Audition at de! Kunsthumaniora Hedendaagse Dans (Wilrijk), Belgium

• Sat 22 February | 14:00 – 16:45

Postgraduate Audition at Singapore School of the Arts, Singapore

• Sat 22 February | 14:00 – 16:45

The audition schedule for Belgium, Hong Kong and Singapore will be as follows:

• 1.30-2.00 – Registration
• 2.00-2.45 – Improvisation
• 2.45-3.45 – Contemporary
• 3.45-4.45 – Rep & Creative

The audition schedule for Oslo will be as follows:

• 1.30-2.00 – Registration
• 2.00-2.45 – Improvisation into Ballet
• 2.45-3.45 – Contemporary
• 3.45-4.45 – Rep & Creative

Applicants who want to attend any of the above auditions should complete an application form and then book onto the relevant audition (link will be provided in confirmation email). Auditions will be filmed for panel members to review.

Monday 10 February 

Stage 1

• 9:00  to 10:30  – Gaga into centre ballet
• 10:30 to 11:30  – Contemporary technique movement phrases
• BREAK
• 11:45  to 12:45 – Repertoire 1 from VERVE
• 12:45 to 13:30  – Creative session

LUNCH – Applicants will be informed if they have been shortlisted to stay for the Stage 2 audition.

Stage 2

•  14:30 to 15:30  – Repertoire 2 from VERVE
• 15:30 to 16:30 – Devising session
• 16:30 to 17:00 – Closing chat

Tuesday 11 February 

Stage 1

• 9:00 to 10:30  – Gaga into centre ballet
• 10:30 to 11:30  – Contemporary technique movement phrases
• BREAK
• 11:45 to 12:45  – Repertoire 1 from VERVE
• 12:45 to 13:30 – Creative session

LUNCH – Applicants will be informed if they have been shortlisted to stay for the Stage 2 audition.

Stage 2

•  14:30  to 15:30  – Repertoire 2 from VERVE
• 15:30  to 16:30  – Devising session
• 16:30  to 17:00  – Closing chat

Saturday 15 February 

• 09.30 to 09.55 – sign in and warm up
• 10.00 to 11:30 – Gaga into centre ballet
• 11:30 to 12:30 – Contemporary technique movement phrases
• BREAK
• 12:45  to 13:45  – Repertoire 1 from VERVE
• 13:45 to 14.30 – Creative session

LUNCH – Applicants will be informed if they have been shortlisted to stay for the Stage 2 audition.

Stage 2

•  15:30 to 16:30 – Repertoire 2 from VERVE
• 16:30 to 17:30 – Devising session
• 17:30 to 18:00 – Closing chat

The creative session concludes the audition and is an opportunity for you to show us your full range of skills. You are encouraged to work creatively and individually on a task whilst integrating your personal qualities, including any other dance styles, text or use of voice.

Following the recall auditions, applicants will be notified if they have been selected for an interview. If shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online interview on one of the following dates:

• 14th Feb 2025 | 09.00 to 17:00 (Leeds applicants)
• 17th Feb 2025 | 17:15 to 20:00 (London applicants)
• 18th Feb 2025 | 17:15  to 20:00 (London applicants)

Places are awarded to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential to benefit from the course. The audition panel assesses performance ability and creativity underpinned by technical/physical understanding, as well as critical thinking and reflective engagement.

See What is NSCD looking for in potential students? for more information

VERVE Artistic Director and Curriculum Lead, Matteo Marfoglia notes:

“VERVE is looking for students with curiosity and openness in embodying a diverse range of approaches which challenge the artform of contemporary dance. Students should demonstrate an enthusiasm for working within a company setting with a collaborative and supportive approach towards themselves and other members of the company.”

• All applicants from Stage 1 and Stage 2 will be notified as to whether they have been shortlisted or not.
• Offers for MA Contemporary Dance Performance (VERVE) are made following Stage 3 Interviews
• Applicants who are not made offers following the interview will receive either a Shortlist or Unsuccessful Outcome
• All candidates have 3 weeks from receipt of an offer in which to make a decision. This timeframe may change later in the Admissions cycle, i.e. if we need to make further offers in the summer.
• Shortlisted candidates who are not initially offered a place after their auditions are placed on our reserve list with potential further offers being made over the following weeks. We cannot guarantee when and if we are able to make further offers.

Important

If you have applied for more than one course at NSCD and receive an offer for one course and choose to accept this, your application would automatically be withdrawn from the other courses/you would be removed from any shortlists you might be on.

Please ensure you submit your application and include the correct documents before the closing date.

Our application form asks for:

1. Personal details
2. Place of education
3. Qualifications
4. Place of dance education (this may be the same as your place of education)
5. CV & Showreel
6. Equality and Diversity information

Read our guidance below for more information:

> READ SHOWREEL GUIDANCE 

Once you submit your application you will be redirected to pay the application fee.

Applications without payment will not be processed.

You will also receive an email confirmation from admissions@nscd.ac.uk. Please check and save this email. We recommend you add this email address to your contacts to avoid emails going into your junk/spam folder.

If applying more than one course please contact admissions@nscd.ac.uk to receive a code to use at checkout to ensure you only pay the application fee once.

Important

Applicants are only required to submit the below material if they are shortlisted from Stage 1. Applicants will be informed if they have been shortlisted week commencing 20 January 2025 and be invited to submit the below material by 31 January 2025.

• Improvisation (max 3 minutes) During your improvisation video, take the opportunity to play with dynamics, levels and the range of your physicality from detailed work to full embodiment exploration. This is not a set choreographic exercise but rather just a filming in the studio where you show us a range of your movement possibilities and styles. This should be your own work. 
• Technical Work: Contemporary (3 exercises, maximum 5 minutes). Specific technical work is required to be learnt using this link and filmed as part of your video audition.
• Technical Work: Ballet (3 exercises, maximum 5 minutes). Specific technical work is required to be learnt using this link and filmed as part of your video audition.
• Verbal Personal Statement – tell us about yourself, your background and why you are applying for postgraduate study at NSCD. State which pathway you are interested in and why  (max 3 minutes) 

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an online interview on 13th February 2025.  Interviews will take place between 9:00- 12:00 and 13:00-16:00.

NSCD Admissions will inform applicants of their interview time.

Places are awarded to applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential to benefit from the course. The audition panel assesses performance ability and creativity underpinned by technical/physical understanding, as well as critical thinking and reflective engagement.

See What is NSCD looking for in potential students? for more information

VERVE Artistic Director and Curriculum Lead Matteo Marfoglia notes:

“VERVE is looking for students with curiosity and openness in embodying a diverse range of approaches which challenge the artform of contemporary dance. Students should demonstrate an enthusiasm for working within a company setting with a collaborative and supportive approach towards themselves and other members of the company.”

• Stage 1 applicants will be notified if they have been shortlisted for the Stage 2 audition.
• Stage 2 applicants will be notified if they have been shortlisted for the Stage 3 interview.
• Shortlisted applicants will be informed if they have been successful by Friday 21 February 2025.
• All candidates have 3 weeks from receipt of an offer in which to make a decision. This timeframe may change during the Admissions cycle, i.e. if we make offers later in the summer.

Important

If you have applied for more than one course at NSCD and receive an offer for one course and choose to accept this, your application would automatically be withdrawn from the other courses/you would be removed from any shortlists you might be on.