Dance: Performance and Professional Practices (Emergence)
Full-time
One year
September 2025
In a nutshell
Join us to expand yourself as a performer, an artist, a collaborator, and a well-rounded dance professional in the thriving cultural scene in Salford and Manchester.
This MA Dance Performance and Professional Practices (Emergence) programme is a professionally focused course, co-designed and co-delivered with our industry partner, Joss Arnott Dance (JAD). In this intensive course, you will focus on an eclectic mix of contemporary dance styles and contemporary dance performance at the highest level. The programme also addresses the wider needs of the dance professional including modules on producing, teaching and workshop design/delivery – allowing you to develop skills, knowledge and experience to expand their professional opportunities upon graduation.
You will become part of Emergence postgraduate dance company, who work with internationally acclaimed choreographers to produce a programme of new performance work each year. Emergence tours nationally each spring season led by Artistic Director, Joss Arnott, with Programme Leader, Debbie Milner. You can track the progress of this year’s company by following the programme on Instagram @emergence_dance.
This prestigious and highly selective programme has industry collaboration at its heart and mirrors working environments in the creative industries. Graduates have been successful in gaining employment in the region and are central to the buoyant dance infrastructure in the north-west. Alumni are working with companies such as: Company Chameleon, Joss Arnott Dance, Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, Company Carpi, Coalesce Dance Theatre, Move MCHR, Ludus Dance, and Kapow amongst many others.
Beyond the north-west our graduates are working with prestigious companies in the UK and Internationally: New Adventures, Beijing Dance Theatre, Elliot Smith, ACE Dance and Music, Lisa Simpson Dance, Ballet Folk, British Black Ballet, Tavaziva, Springs Dance Company, Gothenburg Opera, and Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre.
International
We are excited to promote a globally diverse student cohort and encourage applicants with a diverse range of dance training and education, including professional experience.
International applicants: Please check the international intakes page for the latest information and application dates.
You will:
- Develop as a performer through opportunities to work with Joss Arnott and internationally acclaimed choreographers.
- Enhance your ability as both a professional dancer and dance professional, developing your skills as a creative entrepreneur and enabling you to pursue a long-term career in dance.
- Have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant arts and performance scene in Salford and Manchester, and expand your creative horizons with a national tour.
- Create a portfolio of work and experience that can be used in your wider career.
students accepted
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This is for you if...
You are an early career dance professional who is a brave and engaging performer, and a committed collaborator.
You are ready for an intensive and rewarding learning experience.
You have a strong technical base in a range of dance styles, in addition to a willingness to experiment creatively and a hunger to develop as a professional dance artist.
You are keen to experience professional touring as part of a dynamic ensemble of dancers.
All about the course
If you’re an emerging or established dancer who wants to add another dimension to your performance technique, as well as gain an understanding of what it’s like to dance professionally, our MA dance course is for you.
Your first trimester will lay the foundations for your time on this master’s programme. Alongside your fellow students, you will work creatively with international choreographers to devise new pieces of repertory. You will develop your choreographic and reflective skills as a developing dance artist.
In your second trimester, you will begin to hone your skills as a performer and ensemble member as you rehearse and refine the Emergence repertoire ready for touring. As well as continuing to develop your dance technique and performance skills, you’ll look at professional elements of the dance industry, including producing for small to mid-scale touring, and teaching dance in both curriculum-based and community dance settings.
Your final trimester will take you through the performance and professional practices involved in touring. You may be involved in elements such as workshop delivery, supporting the tour producer, engaging with the technical team, and more. As well as this, you’ll be researching an area of your choice, to develop innovative performances and research outputs.
Alongside the creation, rehearsal and touring of the repertoires, modules will combine dance technique lessons, practical workshops, lectures, seminars and student-led discussions. The course allows you to develop a critical and professional understanding of the relationship between theory and practice, best preparing you for a portfolio career.
Find out what you’ll be covering in each module in the full course breakdown below.
Dance Repertory Development
In this first semester, you will establish the new student company and work intensively with international choreographers to create new pieces of repertory. Whilst practically focused, you will also be developing your skills as a reflective artist through engagement in reflective writing and critical analysis.
Portfolio Career Practices: Performance
In this module, you will embark on a journey of personal artistic and career development, positioning yourself as an emerging dance artist. You’ll explore the competencies essential for a successful dance professional through three key strands: Performance- Technical Development, Pedagogy, and Producing.
In the Performance strand, the learning shifts from an intensive creative mode into a deeper period of rehearsal and development. This module supports you to reflect on your specific development as a dancer and collaborator, building on strengths and addressing areas for development: physically, creatively and professionally. The module is delivered throughout the spring and will include the premiere performance of the new programme of work.
In the Pedagogy strand you will deepen your practical and theoretical understanding of workshop development and teaching strategies for a range of client groups, preparing you to tackle current challenges in dance education and facilitation.
The Producing strand will equip you with vital knowledge about the performance industry, covering funding, programming, and audience development, all taught by visiting industry professionals. This comprehensive approach ensures you are well-prepared for a dynamic career in dance.
Final Major Project
In the Final Industry Project module, you will immerse yourself in real-world dance experiences by participating in a small-scale collective, engaging in external projects at venues across the North West, including a dedicated MA Dance showcase in New Adelphi. Throughout the course, you will collaborate with industry partners, engage in technical rehearsals, and deliver workshops, all while honing your skills in choreography, production, and audience development. You assume various company roles to create impactful dance events that align with community outreach programs. The module emphasises the practical application of learning, industry networking, and critical reflection, culminating in a comprehensive Final Project Portfolio that cases your research and creative outputs and demonstrates your growth and professional readiness in the dance industry.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
BE A PART OF A CREATIVE, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY
All our Dance courses are delivered by the Salford School of Arts, Media, and Creative Technology. We are a creative community with a focus on creating a collaborative environment where you can thrive and gain the skills needed to pursue your dreams.
Our Engagement Team coordinates school-wide events such as the Create Student Awards, academic conferences, networking and volunteering opportunities, welcoming and wellbeing fairs and exhibitions like our annual Degree Show.
For non-course matters, you will have access to our university-wide support service askUS, who will support and guide you to be successful in all aspects of your life.
Throughout your time at Salford, you’ll be mentored and supported by experts. And once you graduate, it won’t end there. You’ll join a thriving alumni network across Greater Manchester and beyond, meaning you’ll be supported professionally and personally whenever you need it.
Our Dance facilities
This Dance degree course is based at our £55 million New Adelphi building, the home of performance and creativity on campus.
Our range of performance facilities include:
- Dance studios – our industry-standard studios are where you’ll spend much of your time, honing your skills in a professional environment to best prepare you to enter the world of dance.
- New Adelphi Theatre – this 350-seat venue provides an opportunity for you to stage performances in front of live audiences. It also regularly hosts professional shows and performances.
- Studio theatre – this classic black-box performance space offers a more intimate venue than the New Adelphi Theatre. It features flexible seating and staging, so you can shape the space to meet your creative needs.
Explore our Dance facilities at New Adelphi, or take a 360 tour of our New Adelphi building.
Joss Arnott
Artist Director, Emergence
Founding Joss Arnott Dance in 2010, Joss is an internationally award-winning choreographer who has been continuously supported and commissioned by leading UK dance agencies, venues and funding organisations.
A shortlisted artist for One Dance UK’s People’s Choice Award 2020, Joss is in demand as a choreographer and has been commissioned to create work for professional dance companies including Rambert and for leading dance conservatoires. His artistic vision is fuelled by creating a portfolio of work for a diverse range of audiences which are at the heart of everything he produces, including indoor, outdoor and family orientated productions.
Joss strives for innovation of the highest quality and curating world class collaborations for JAD which became evident in 2015 with the company’s 5th anniversary tour that featured live music from the world’s premier solo percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie.
With a commitment and passion for talent development, Joss has been a Focus Group Artist for Sadler’s Wells National Youth Dance Company, BBC Young Dancer consultant and has worked with and produced multiple works for national Centre for Advanced Training Schemes. He is also a featured artist for AQA’s 2020/21 Performing Arts Qualification.
He received his first international dance award in 2016 for his solo work V for Outstanding Choreographic Musical Interpretation and Dance Technicality from WARSAWZawirowania Dance International.
2018 marked the year of the newly formed partnership between Joss Arnott Dance and the University of Salford with the launch of a new MA Dance Performance and Professional Practices programme that established EMERGENCE, now a leading postgraduate performance company, that tours newly commissioned performance work by internationally acclaimed choreographers annually.
In 2019 he became an Associate Artist at Déda and in the same year Joss Arnott Dance were selected to be part of Surf the Wave, UK Dance Showcase and joined the Without Walls Programme with PULSE!, a dance and live music duet created for the streets set around a 3.5 m high percussion wheel designed by Linbury Prize winning artist Eleanor Bull and engineered by Rolls-Royce.
2020 marks Joss Arnott Dance’s 10th anniversary and the company celebrated this key milestone developing the DANCE:CONNECTS – PULSE! 2.0 initiative. With support from Arts Council England’s Emergency Response Funding and commission funds from Pavilion Dance South West, JAD were able to financially support more than 25 independent dance artists and work with hundreds of people of all ages from across the world including Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia and the USA through online live workshops, tutorials and accessible pre-recorded Learn at Home videos.
The legacy in this work is through the film documentation and the existing and new global relationships the company developed throughout the duration of the activity.
Photo credit - Josh Hawkins.
Debbie Milner
Programme Leader
I have twenty years’ experience of working as a professional dance artist and educator I enjoyed 6 years touring with Ludus Dance Company where I developed a passion for delivering high quality creative and cultural experiences to young people. I have since made and performed new works with Axial Dance, Gary Clarke, TC Howard, Lisi Perry and Joe Lau.
I have a proven track record in Artistic Lead and Rehearsal Director roles. Most recently as the Artistic Director of the all-male undergraduate company EdgeFWD. I was also artistic lead for the North West Graduate Company- 12 Degrees North, a non-certificated graduate training programme and touring company that promoted the development and retention of emerging dance talent in the North West Dance Sector.
I have been working in Higher Education for 12 years and have developed my teaching knowledge with an MA Education( Distinction) and am an HEA Fellow. My dance teaching draws on my experience as professional dancer and incorporates current industry knowledge gained from continued personal engagement in professional dance employment, workshops and training. This breadth of experience has given me a broad palate of knowledge and skills to share and explore with my students.
My teaching and research considers how we can best prepare and support dance students so that they graduate with the information and confidence necessary to navigate their chosen career path. In my teaching I encourage students to be curious, intuitive and honest in exploration and play.
What about after uni?
This Master’s degree in Dance Performance has links with a number of strategic bodies for Dance including Arts Council England, One Dance UK, Without Walls and, regionally, The Lowry, The Centre for Advance Training, Factory International and Company Chameleon.
Each academic year, we run a range of Masterclasses to develop your knowledge of the wider dance ecology and to assist you in developing your personal career trajectory. Recently, this has included work with artists such as New Adventures, Miguel Altunaga, Gary Clarke, James Wilton Dance, Natasha Gooden, Faye Stoeser and Gemma Nixon, among many others.
Our industry collaborators include respected north-west based companies such as Coalesce Dance Theatre, Hawk Dance Theatre, Night People Events, Move Manchester, Company Carpi along with independent dance artists. Through this scheme, our students benefit from workshops, apprenticeships, performance opportunities, and mentoring. Each academic year, we offer a variety of Masterclasses designed to expand your understanding of the broader dance ecology and assist you in advancing your career trajectory.
Career Links
Completing an MA in Dance and Professional Practices will open numerous doors for a successful career in the dance industry. This program equips you to cultivate a diverse and vibrant professional path, whether as a dance maker, producer, educator, dance administrator, photographer, project manager, or freelance artist.
Studying on this course will provide you with a broad range of transferable skills applicable across various roles and industries. You will learn how to generate, develop, and present your ideas to a professional standard, along with honing strong research and evaluation skills—all of which are highly valued by employers.
Our annual dance artist-in-residence scheme includes renowned companies like Company Chameleon, Hawk Dance Theatre, and Kapow Dance Theatre, alongside independent dance artists. Through this scheme, our students benefit from workshops, apprenticeships, performance opportunities, and mentoring. Each academic year, we offer a variety of Masterclasses designed to expand your understanding of the broader dance ecology and assist you in advancing your career trajectory.
Our faculty and extended dance team comprise active and influential members of the UK's professional dance community. We are dedicated to maintaining a strong alumni network, advocating for our Dance@Salford graduates by connecting them to professional opportunities and fostering collaborations.
What you need to know
Are you an enthusiastic and committed dancer? Would you like to improve your technical ability and enhance your career prospects? Do you envision yourself dancing as part of a company?
If so, we’d love to hear from you. Our MA in Dance Performance is designed for dancers at all stages in their career. We’re looking applicants who have either been working professionally or have studied on a related undergraduate course.
You should be dedicated to pursuing a career as a professional dancer, performing in a company model. You’ll need to be prepared to undertake intensive rehearsal and touring, as well as rigorous independent research.
The application process will also involve an audition and small group interview and a personal statement (up to 500 words). Students will be asked to write about the ways that this specific MA programme will help them advance from their current work within dance towards specific career aspirations.
We hold both in-person auditions and on-line auditions for International students or those unable to join us in person.
To support International applications we ask that you submit A 3–5-minute show reel recording that showcases your dance technique and performance ability.
- You should include 1-min introducing yourself and talking us through your footage.
- The footage does not need to be professionally filmed or edited.
- You should review and watch existing Emergence repertoire footage to better understand the aesthetic and physical branding of Emergence’s work and the level of technical and performance ability expected on the programme.
Standard entry requirements
To join this MA you should have a second class honours degree, 2:2 or above.
International students
International applicants will be required to show a proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.0, with no element below 5.5, is proof of this.
We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.
We also accept a range of other English language qualifications. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take our Pre-Sessional English course.
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.
The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.
Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
How much?
| Type of study | Year | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time home | 2025/26 | £10,590 per year |
| Full-time international | 2025/26 | £17,000 per year |
Additional costs
You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.
Scholarships for International Students
If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. Explore our international scholarships.