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 support the international group of highly ambitious dancers who wish to develop their full potential, gain profound technical and artistic skills and knowlegde and attain a long and distinguished career as company- or freelance dancer and artist internationally.
This combination gives the students the opportunity to both immerse themselves in dance as a craft and to use Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School as a creative and network building point of departure for the future.
The goal of the 3-Year Diploma Programme at CCDS is for the students to develop into highly skilled and aware dancers 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.
STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL WEEK
In a typical week (Monday-Friday) students are expected to work 4-6 hours per day and dedicate 2 hours per day for individual optimisation of their body potential, research, management and for self-studies. Some weeks are dedicated fully to a workshop or rehearsals, others are organised as classes. During periods of productions at Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School, performances and rehearsals can take place in evenings and weekends.
Every school year the students take part in several public productions. Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School collaborates with a number of choreographers, cultural institutions and organisations. Collaborators are for example choreographers such as Gustavo Ramirez Sansano (ES), Roberto Scafati (IT/D), Jon Ole Olstad (N/D) and Tamas Moricz (HU/BE). To see more, please visit Teachers. Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School has performed at The National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen Music Theater, Ministry of Culture, Royal Cast Collection, Østre Gasværk Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet, Nimb in Tivoli, The National Museum, The Cisterns as well as a long list of site specific performances.
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
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
Subjects 1st year
Ballet
Contemporary
Repertoire
Improvisation
Rehearsals
Performance practice; incl. work with choreographers & public performances
Partnering
Personal Coaching & mentoring
Optimising Training
Composition, with a focus on solo work
Complementary subjects & workshops:
Anatomy & physiology, closely connected to Optimising Training
Dance History & Music
Acrobatics
Voice Training
Subjects 2nd year
Ballet
Contemporary
Repertoire
Improvisation
Rehearsals
Performance practice; incl. work with choreographers & public performances
Partnering
Personal Coaching & mentoring
Optimising Training
Composition, with a focus on solo work
Complementary subjects & workshops:
Research
Management
Voice Training
Acrobatics
SUBJECTS AND APPRENTICE PERIOD 3RD YEAR
Ballet
Contemporary
Rehearsals
Repertoire
Improvisation
Performance practice; incl. work with choreographers & public performances
Communication & Audience relations
Personal coaching & mentoring
Composition focused on solo work
Management; SoMe, webpage etc
Filming of audition material
Optimising Training
Acrobatics
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 28th of August 2024.
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.