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3-year Diploma Programme

3-Year Diploma Programme

Applications for the Diploma Programme 2025-28 is now open.

Developing and supporting highly skilled and aware dance artists who can take full charge of their own development and handle their careers as professional dancers and artists for a long career in the future. Individual coaching, extensive performance experience supported by guidance are core elements. 

Profile

The finest task of Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School is to educate the international group of highly ambitious dancers who wish to develop their full potential, gain profound technical and artistic skills and knowlegde nessesary to attain a long and distinguished professional career as company- or freelance dancer and artist.

A High-Performance Training Approach

The intensity of the schedule is highly inspired by principles from elite sports science and training. This is in order to maximise development posibilities while minimizing injury risk and making peak performance periods part of a healthy long term education and work method.

STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL WEEK

The students of CCDS share most classes together across the first, second and third year of study; however the expectations and working focus is specific for each group depending on the year of study. Some classes, workshops and choreographic works are taught in groups.

CCDS offers a solid curiculum for education through growth and the faculty is here to guide the students both technically, artistically and in finding the most constructive and efficient learning process in order to enhance an ongoing development into independent and highly skilled dance artists. Working tasks and expectations depend on the level of experience of the individual student and the year of study with a clear expectation of gradual development during the education. By the end of every semester (Winter and Summer) there will be an exam followed by individual feedback

SELECTION PROCEDURE

Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School is looking for dancers who have already achieved a solid technical experience in classical and contemporary dance and are ready to challenge themselves in order to develop their full potential.

To audition for the 3-Year Diploma Programme is to audition for becoming part of an international ambitious team for 3 years. All the dancers support each other in developing their potential and skills to the fullest; through daily training, personal coaching and through performance periods. In the final semester, the dancers have the chance to specialize through individual apprentice periods with choreographers and companies.

Please read about the audition and application process here.

TEACHING LANGUAGE

The daily working language as well as all correspondence is in English.
We do not require any certificate confirming your language ability, but expect you to be able to follow instructions in English.

COURSE-RELATED EXPENCES

Students are expected to bring their own training clothes (indoor and outdoor use), shoes (indoor and outdoor use and running shoes), knee pads, and also nude and black underwear, nude and black socks and swimwear.

Point shoes can be used in some balletclasses when it is aproved by the teachers. Pointshoes are not required to participate in any classes.

Literature and material for Management, Anatomy & Physiology, Music and Dance History is partly found online, at public libraries and in some cases there are expenses related to literature, features on webpages and apps supporting the curriculum. Furthermore, the school can recommend apps to download for a small fee for educational purpose.

DIPLOMA

The education programme is full-time. To obtain the final diploma students must pass the annual exams and pass the school year. If absence exceeds 10%, a diploma will not be issued.

CLASSES AND SUBJECTS AT CCDS​

1st year

Ballet
Contemporary
Repertoire
Improvisation
Rehearsals
Performance practice; incl. work with choreographers & public performances
Partnering
Personal Coaching & mentoring
Optimising Training
Composition

Complementary subjects & workshops:

Anatomy & physiology, closely connected to Optimising Training
Dance History in practice

2nd year

Ballet
Contemporary
Repertoire
Improvisation
Rehearsals
Performance practice; incl. work with choreographers & public performances
Partnering
Personal Coaching & mentoring
Optimising Training
Composition

Complementary subjects & workshops:

Research
Management

 3RD YEAR

(Subjects and apprentice period)

Ballet
Contemporary
Rehearsals
Repertoire
Improvisation
Performance practice; incl. work with choreographers & public performances
Communication & Audience relations
Personal coaching & mentoring
Composition
Management; SoMe, webpage etc
Filming of audition material
Optimising Training
Possibility of apprentice periode and individual specialisation

The complementary workshops are supported by self-studies of curriculum and connected to the daily practical work.

PROGRAMME PERIODES

 

The school period starts August 27th 2025.

COURSE FEE

The education fee for the 3-Year Diploma Programme is paid in eight instalments.

Payment for the first year
The first instalment of 5,000 DKK is due to be paid within two weeks of your acceptance.
The second instalment of 15.000 DKK is due to be paid May 1st 2025
The third instalment of 20,000 DKK is due to be paid June 1st 2025.
The fourth instalment of 20,000 DDK is due to be paid November 1st 2025.

Payment for the second year
The fifth instalment of 40,000 DKK is due to be paid March 1st 2026.
The sixth instalment of 20,000 DDK is due to be paid November 1st 2026.

Payment for the third year
The seventh instalment of 28,000 DKK is due to be paid March 1st 2027.
The eighth instalment of 28.000 DKK is due to be paid June 1st 2027.

Not a holder of EU passport?

CCDS is an independent institution. Under Danish regulation only students applying for a state school are eligible for student visa, and therefore student visa unfortunately does not apply to CCDS-students. However, Denmark has special agreements to selected countries regarding visa for long-term stays in Denmark. Please go to www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB (“new to Denmark” – the official site for immigration to Denmark) to find information on what options applies to you depending on your home country. It is a very good idea to consult your local embassy in Denmark to help guide you.
Note that Visa application takes 2-3 months to process, and therefore we must have received your application to audition before the 1st of March in an audition period if you are a non-EU citizens. Application after this date you will get administrative refusal.

APPLY FOR OUR 3-YEAR DIPLOMA PROGRAMME