Saturday 29th July 2023 - Saturday 5th August 2023
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Penglais
Aberystwyth SY23 3DE
Reserve Space(s)
We are excited to bring to Aberystwyth for the first time this baroque dance course. To run concurrently as part of the music course for strings, this course will be led by baroque dance specialist, Elizabeth Svarstad.
The dance course’s schedule includes
- Warm-up
- Baroque dance technique
- Baroque dance repertoire
- Countrydance class
- Dance notation
- Rehearsals
- Showcase concert performance
All students are part of this daily plan. The course is suitable for participants with previous experience and proficiency in dance (preferably ballet) and who are confident in learning movement and choreography.
Previous experience in baroque dance is not required, as we want as many people to experience this as possible. The course will focus on the essential foundations of the baroque technique and style. Students will get the chance to learn a solo or duet in the eighteenth century style at their level.
Our regular Showcase Concerts in the Great Hall provide wonderful performing opportunities for the students. The outstanding evening concerts in the Musicfest Festival make an inspiring environment for the course, plus a special outing to the lovely beaches of Aberystwyth will be arranged.
Every participant has their own room on the premises of the Aberystwyth University where practicing is allowed.
The course will include daily warm-up, technique- and repertoire class, dance notation and countrydance sessions as well as studying a solo or duet with the opportunity to performing it in a showcase concert.
About your course leader
Elizabeth Svarstad graduated from the Norwegian Ballet Academy in 2000. She holds a Nordic Master of Arts in dance studies from the University of Copenhagen, the University of Stockholm and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and a PhD in dance studies from NTNU, the Department of Music. In 2015 Svarstad had a six months’ research stay at the Sorbonne University supported by the Research Council of Norway.
Svarstad has studied baroque dance in France, England and the US and is Norway’s foremost specialist in baroque dance and early dance. She is a sought-after artist, and has performed in dance performances, concerts, opera productions and solo performances.
She is a lecturer in Baroque dance at The Norwegian Academy of Music and at Oslo National Academy of the Arts.
Svarstad has received grants from the Research Council of Norway, Arts Council Norway, Fund for Performing Artists in Norway, The City of Oslo, Norwegian Musicians Union, Government Grants for Artists, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, and Sleipnir travel grant.
In 2019 Svarstad was awarded the Parelius prize for deserving artists for her work with dance in the performing arts field.
Fees and your stay
The tuition fee for this course is £650 excluding accommodation, which includes a pass to all concerts during Musicfest. Early bird discounts are available on all courses booked and paid for in full before 30th April.
Self-catering and en-suite accommodation is offered at a discounted rate for Musicfest students in University halls of residence, or you can book your own accommodation outside the University. See the accommodation page for further details.
Financial Support
For more information about financial support, please visit our Fees and Bursaries page.
Request a space on this course
You can request a space on this course here. Applications will be reviewed, and if accepted we will send full information on course joining and fee payment via email. We aim to respond within 7 days to your reservation request.
If you are booking more than one place, you will need to fill in application details for each potential student. Mandatory fields are marked with *