Meet Diane Grant: AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Diane Grant, Head of Department, Education and Dance
What does ACPE offer for dance students?
“ACPE is a higher education provider that offers students a comprehensive education in dance with a tertiary degree at the completion of study. Students can choose from our Dance course offerings in preparation for a professional career in dance in education, dance in the community or dance and science. There are also supporting studies in each course to fulfill the degree requirements.”
What can students expect to leave an ACPE course with?
“ACPE provides multiple opportunities for students to gain professional experience through Work Integrated Learning placements and networking opportunities with industry professionals. Units are designed to develop practical and intellectual skills and be highly relevant to the professional pathways in the industry, and for the development of a sustainable arts practice.”
What sets ACPE apart from other full-time course providers?
“The individualised student-centred learning and training provides a supportive environment for nurturing future professionals in the field. The dance lecturers and the dance technique tutors are professional practising dance artists from a variety of contexts who are devoted to bring out the best in the students and support them as they progress through the course. ACPE is currently the only provider of Dance Education degrees in NSW, also offering a double major in PDHPE which increases students’ job-readiness for future employment in schools.”
What is the application/audition process like?
“Prospective students first are interviewed by one of our enrolment officers. They then attend a dance audition that is led by one of our dance technique tutors/teachers. The dance audition consists of a contemporary dance technique class that includes composition and improvisation-based tasks. We look for dancers who learn and adapt to new movement patterns and phrases and in whom we see abilities to achieve the passing standard and then further develop and refine their dance skills to meet their career needs. The audition also provides the dancers with an understanding of the dance styles and concepts that are taught in the first year of our Dance courses in addition to demonstrating their dance skills to the Dance staff.“