Programme Details

Major Study: Choreography 
The major in choreography encompasses a unique approach in a professional environment, with an emphasis on nurturing and expanding choreographic talents to meet the high demands of the region and internationally. This comprehensive 4-year curriculum is designed with a holistic and coherent concept: "Introduction-Application-Integration-Production". Students choose a specialised dance style in the first two years to equip themselves with technical demands and professional standards before embarking on specialised choreographic-related courses in year three and year four. The programme fosters a broader contextual approach and focuses on expanding choreography across different art forms, technologies, and collaborations, which are essential for choreographers of the 21st century.

Major Study: Dance Performance 
Specialization - Ballet 
The Ballet specialization encompasses a broad range of international ballet training styles and methods, along with a strong emphasis on the development of a pure and unaffected technique. The essential requirements needed to meet the high demands and professional standards for ballet in Hong Kong and internationally, lie at the heart of the programme. The curriculum comprises ballet technique, pointe classes for females, male technique classes for males, partnering, repertory, contemporary dance and body conditioning. A broader contextual approach is also fostered, and students are also guided to analyse and critically reflect on their practice.

Specialization - Chinese Dance 
The Chinese Dance specialization embraces a diversity of traditional Chinese Dance cultures and methods, and emphasises the requirements to meet the technical demands and professional standards of Chinese Dance in the international context. Chinese Classical and Folk Dance forms, Shen Yun, Acrobatic, Improvisation, Partnering Skills, Traditional Practice (Performing Arts), Individual Creative Project, Repertory and Body Conditioning courses, comprise the major. A broader contextual approach is fostered, and students are also guided to analyse and critically reflect on their practice. Importantly, emphasis is also placed on the heritage of traditional Chinese Dance, as well as the development of this heritage in Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas.

Specialization - Contemporary Dance 
The Contemporary Dance specialization encompasses a diverse range of styles and approaches, and while no particular style is favoured, the essential requirements needed to meet the professional standards and technical demands of contemporary dance in the international context are emphasised. The curriculum comprises contemporary dance techniques, ballet, improvisation/contact improvisation, repertoire and performance laboratory, body conditioning, and interdisciplinary skills. A broader contextual approach is fostered, and students are also guided to analyse and critically reflect on their practice. In addition, students are also guided in the development of the skills and knowledge needed to create original work, and given opportunities to perform that work publicly. 
 

Key Learning Areas 
Key Learning Areas include subjects that expand on, and place the students' major study into a broader context, in order to deepen their understanding of dance as an art form. 
 

Courses in this area include:

• Academic Studies  
• Dance Creation  
• Dance Pedagogy  
• Dance Science

School Electives 
The School offers a range of electives which supplement and expand on the core Contextual Studies courses, and while deepening and broadening the learning experience, also provide a strong base for alternative career paths for which performance practice is the essential foundation.

Academy Electives 
A student’s discipline‐specific studies are expanded by core and elective courses that are offered Academy‐wide. These include:

• Languages
• Liberal Arts
• Academy Electives^

^ A wide range of elective courses is available across the Academy Schools – Drama, Film and Television, Music, Theatre and Entertainment Arts, as well as Chinese Opera.