From Studio to Sector: How Practice-Based Learning Powers Dance Employability

This presentation examines how practice-based learning is embedded within the BA (Hons) Dance degree at the University of East London, and how this enables students to develop the skills, competencies, and professional readiness required for employment in the creative industries. Practice-based learning, understood as supervised and structured workplace experience in which students apply and consolidate academic knowledge, is central to the dance degree’s pedagogic content and design. Through placements and experiential opportunities, students integrate theory with industry practice, progressing towards clear learning outcomes that are assessed and scaffolded across all levels of study.
 
Through the delivery of four different strands (Employability & Skills, Dance Techniques & Practices, Theory into Practice, and Choreographic development), this presentation will demonstrate the numerous ways in which practice-based education is integrated into each strand.
 
We demonstrate how each strand supports students in understanding, applying, and transferring their skills across a diverse range of professional environments, alongside the complementary industry and employability workshops offered through the APP-funded project titled 'The Blow-Up Project'.
 
Together, these components develop a foundational skill set that enables graduates to access a wide range of creative industry employment opportunities, from performance and choreography to community practice, arts administration, and interdisciplinary project work. We will present student progression and employment data to evidence how this integrated model of practice-based learning contributes to strong graduate outcomes. Also, our findings suggest that this approach offers a valuable framework for any creative-industries degree seeking to enhance employability through meaningful, sustained engagement with industry partners and practices.