Royal Conservatoire Dance trains the dancers of the future as independent artists who combine an open, creative mind with professional skills, passion and ambition. The worldwide dance profession is constantly evolving and calls for self-assured dancers with a broad training, who practise their craft with dedication and discipline. Dancers who have mastered classical and modern techniques and can also apply them to contemporary dance styles, techniques and influences.

Our students train full-time in classical ballet, pointe technique, jump technique, physical training and modern dance. It is also important for them to have a thorough grounding in the styles and visions of leading choreographers (knowledge of the repertoire) and to learn to collaborate actively with choreographers. The contribution of ideas, reflection and co-creation are all part of the work process, which is based on a strong foundation of academic dance.

The Netherlands owes its prominent position in the dance world to the world-famous dancers, choreographers and designers the country has produced. Thanks to the programme’s close association with celebrated figures such as Jiří Kylián, Nils Christe, Hans van Manen and others, the curriculum is enriched with repertoire from the ‘Dutch School’, which is famous for its unique idiom in terms of movement and musicality. The anchoring of this repertoire in the curriculum strengthens our ties with the representatives of the Dutch School and enhances the popularity of our Higher Professional Education (hbo) course among prospective students from other countries.

Our collaboration with Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) in developing the students’ talent is now an established feature of the programme and is embodied in the annual joint production, the Young Talent Project. This element of the curriculum introduces our students to the methods of NDT, where, under the guidance of repetitors and dancers, they study a wide range of pieces from NDT’s repertoire, as well as new works and solos created under the supervision of choreographers. This partnership offers dancers a wonderful opportunity to take major steps towards a professional career. Since January 2022 onwards, the Royal Conservatoire, Nederlands Dans Theater, the Residentie Orkest and Stichting Amare have all moved to the new educational and cultural complex Amare on the Spui in the centre of The Hague.

The Bachelor of Dance is a programme at Higher Professional Education (hbo) level, which represents the final phase of the education for students who attended the Interfaculty School for Young Talent, but which is also open to other students. The Bachelor of Dance programme focuses on the practical aspects of a career as a dancer. The emphasis is on coaching and supporting the students, who are expected to work independently. The curriculum consists mainly of practical subjects geared to international professional standards, with courses in classical ballet, modern dance technique, performance practice, physical training and artistic development designed to prepare students for life as a professional dancer. A number of additional courses have also been introduced into the curriculum with the aim of helping students to develop the independence and capacity for self-reflection that is essential for today’s professional dancer and to meet the artistic standards required for the programme.

Curriculum
The curriculum of the Dance programme encompasses practical courses such as Classical Ballet, Modern Dance, Improvisation and Repertoire NDT to prepare the student for an international dance career. It also covers preparation for professional practice with courses such as Career Planning, Creating a Solo, Dance Now and Internship. These courses have an academic and reflective element and are designed to promote an important aspect of the student’s personal development and resilience and their capacity for self-reflection. The study programme concludes with an interview, the Graduation Interview, when the student is asked to present a ‘final reflection’ on their studies. The Health & Well-being course covers various elements intended to prepare the student physically and mentally for a professional career. The course descriptions with learning outcomes, information about tests and assessment can be found in the Curriculum Handbook Bachelor Dance.

General information for students
The student receives an annual schedule and a basic weekly timetable at the beginning of the academic year. The annual schedule contains an overview of all the weeks of education and the holidays and the diary of regular annual activities, such as rehearsals, performances, etc. The basic weekly timetable gives the names of the subjects, the teachers and supervisors, as well as the times of lessons and the rooms or other venues where they will be given. Every Friday, the timetable for the following week is updated and published. For various reasons, some details of the weekly timetable may differ from the timetable that was distributed at the beginning of the academic year. The student is being prepared for professional practice and the daily training is paramount in that respect. There are classes throughout the academic year. Some courses, including classical ballet, are taught every day, while others, such as pointes and modern dance, are taught two or three times a week. Supplementary courses are taught in blocks.