LCDS develops its postgraduate programme

Following significant changes to its undergraduate education programme last year, the UK’s leading centre for dance performance and education The Place today announces the development of its postgraduate education programme, validated by University of the Arts London (UAL), and the appointments of new LCDS faculty who are internationally renowned leaders in their respective fields.

The development involves the introduction of two new courses MA Dance: Performance and MA Dance: Participation, Communities, Activism; and four new faculty members including the appointment of Dr Efrosini Protopapa as Director of Postgraduate Courses and Research, who succeeds Dr Martin Hargreaves.

As a world leader in dance and arts education, the latest developments to London Contemporary Dance School’s postgraduate offering highlights the school’s innovation and vision to build a world with more dance, by developing versatile influential artists who impact the art form internationally and sustain lifelong careers in dance.

London Contemporary Dance School faculty regularly liaise with industry partners about training needs and professional opportunities in the dance ecology and these recent postgraduate developments reflect those important discussions.

Dr Efrosini Protopapa will be the new Director of Postgraduate Courses and Research at London Contemporary Dance School. Efrosini is a London-based choreographer and scholar who has held leadership positions in academic institutions and arts organisations in the UK and internationally. Speaking of the news Efrosini says: “I am delighted to be joining London Contemporary Dance School in the role of Director of Postgraduate Courses and Research. The Place is a world-renowned and dynamic institution; with its growing postgraduate programme, the school now has a unique opportunity to build on its rich legacy and strengthen its impact on dance training, artistic research and beyond. I am looking forward to leading the next steps of London Contemporary Dance School's innovative postgraduate provision and developing its research culture in collaboration with an exceptional team of artists and educators.”

The two new courses MA Dance: Participation, Communities, Activism and MA Dance: Performance will be led by dance artist, facilitator and educator Jo Parkes, and lecturer, dance scientist and Ferus Animi // Terra Nova founder Tom Afiyan-English respectively.

Speaking of the new course and her appointment, Jo Parkes says: “The UK is a pioneer of the global community dance field. I’m delighted to be appointed as course leader of an MA programme that is bold, relevant and reflects the needs of socially engaged community dance practitioners today.”

Tom Afiyan-English says: “The new MA Dance: Performance offers us an incredibly exciting opportunity to deliver a pioneering body of training and performance experiences purpose-built for the fast-evolving performance landscapes in the UK and internationally. I am delighted to be returning to London Contemporary Dance School to develop this new course and can't wait for our first cohort of students to begin in 2023!"

The two new courses complement London Contemporary Dance School’s existing postgraduate courses: MA Expanded Dance Practice led by Hilary Stainsby and the world’s only MA Screendance.

Katrina McPherson, a leader in the screendance field, will be the new course leader of MA Screendance.“London Contemporary Dance School’s MA Screendance is world-renowned. It plays an instrumental role in defining and evolving the screendance field internationally. I’ve been very aware of the tremendous work done by the current faculty, students and alumni, and I look forward to building on their successes and developing the course into the future.”