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CUA51520 Diploma of Professional Dance (Elite Performance)

Course code C78

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Important

This course is not offered for study on-campus to international students with a student visa.

Want to look for another option?

To help our students with a career direction, we group similar fields of work into study areas.

Within each study area below you can choose an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. And within most degree courses, you can choose your speciality, or major subject.

About this Course

This qualification reflects the role of dancers working or aspiring to work in professional dance companies.

At this level individuals are expected to apply theory and creative skills in different situations and to display initiative and judgement in planning activities. They have autonomy in performing complex technical operations and can be responsible for planning, coordinating and evaluating the work of others within broad but well-defined parameters. WAAPA offers a pathway for classical ballet students to progress their qualifications over three and a half years from Diploma to Advanced Diploma to a Bachelor of Arts degree. This one-year, full-time entry level course develops students' technical and creative skills in the discipline areas of ballet, pointe, pas de deux and solos, contemporary techniques, choreography, dance history, music for dance, anatomy, nutrition and fitness. It will provide you with intense technical training, and develop artistic expression through practical experience, classes and performance opportunities. Note: Students who have completed this course may wish to continue their training via CUA60120 Advanced Diploma of Professional Dance (Elite Performance).

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level

This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 5 Diploma Award.

Course code

C78

Entry requirements

ECU admission and English language requirements apply.

See Course Entry for further information.

Fees

See Fees and Scholarships for further information.

Duration

1 year full-time

See Course Details for further information.

Availability & Campus

Location Semester 1 Semester 2
Joondalup
Mount Lawley FT
South West
Online
*FT = Full-time study PT = Part-time study ECU City 2026** **ECU City will redefine higher education in Western Australia and will be open to students from February 2026. If you are unsure about how this course is affected, speak to one of our future student specialists.

Timetable

This course has a modified timetable. See Course Notes.

Course Entry

Admission requirements you'll need to meet for this course.

  • The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

    All applicants are required to attend an audition and interview, to demonstrate competence in at least one dance style equivalent to Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 4 or above. It is desirable that applicants also demonstrate expertise through extensive vocational experience or through graded achievements in various dance styles via dance societies that offer examinations linked to certification levels.

    Additionally, applicants will normally be turning 16 years of age by 30 June in the year they commence the course.

    As part of the application process, applicants will be required to complete a language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills and competencies review.

    Academic admission requirements (Band empty) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

  • English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

Applications for this course are not accepted through ECU's Experience Based Entry Scheme.

Course Details

Semester availability

Semester 1: Study full-time at Mount Lawley

Course Structure

The Training Package rules require 7 Core units plus 10 Elective units.

Year 1 - Semester 1

Solos/Performance
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPRF513Prepare for and perform in competitive environments

Year 1 - Semester 2

Solos/Performance
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPPR512Develop sustainability of own professional practice

Year 1 - VET Full

Ballet
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADAN512Refine ballet performance skills
Anatomy and Fitness
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAWHS413Incorporate anatomy principles into skill development
CUAWHS511Maintain a high level of fitness for performance
Ballet
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADAN511Refine ballet techniques
Contemporary
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADAN515Refine contemporary dance techniques
History
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAWRT501Write about dance
Improvisation
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADAN518Develop expertise in allied contemporary dance techniques
Music
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADLT412Explore the relationship between music and dance
Pas de Deux
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADAN517Refine dance partnering techniques
Pointe
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADAN519Refine pointe work techniques
Refine Dance Techniques_Cultural Dance
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADAN531Refine dance techniques
Solos/Performance
Unit Code Unit Title
CUADAN513Perform repertoire for corps de ballet
CUADAN514Perform ballet solo variations
CUAPRF511Refine performance techniques
Choreography
Unit Code Unit Title
CUACHR413Develop choreography skills
Movement and Behaviour/Conditioning
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAWHS411Apply movement and behavioural principles to conditioning

C78|3

For more detailed unit information for this course take a look at our Handbook. To organise your life for next semester visit the Teaching timetable.

Student handbook

Course notes

Important course notes

  • Students may be required to attend evening and weekend rehearsals and performances.

Fees and Scholarships

Fees

VET course fees are set by the WA Government and they vary from course to course. For more information, please go to Fees and Scholarships.

Some units require the payment of a fee for incidental goods or services required to complete those units. For more information and the full list of incidental fees for courses and units, visit What are Incidental Fees.

Scholarships

ECU has a scholarship program that provides many opportunities each year to students undertaking studies here.

Find a scholarship

Career Opportunities

The job roles that relate to this qualification may include dancer (pre-professional level). The WAAPA C78 course prepares the talented dance artist for the demands of work in mainstream Australian and overseas ballet and/or dance companies. It provides intense practical experience, developing strong technique and artistry through classes and performance opportunities.

Courses you can consider if you are interested in progressing further in this area.

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

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Quick guide to uni-speak

    • The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national regulator of qualifications in the Australian education and training system. The AQF defines the essential characteristics, including the required learning outcomes, of the different types of qualifications issued across the higher education systems in Australia.

    • ATAR is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate university courses in Australia. The ATAR is a percentile score which denotes a student's ranking relative to their state-wide peers upon completion of their secondary education.

    • CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. A CRICOS code is allocated to education institutions (like ECU) who are approved to recruit, enrol and deliver education to overseas students. Courses with a CRICOS code are available to international students who meet the entry requirements.

    • A major, or unit set, is your chosen area of in-depth study in an undergraduate course. It usually involves 8 units of study, or one-third of the units in a 3-year degree. Talk to your Student Information Office if you need help choosing a major subject.

    • Minors include between 4 and 6 study units in a specific discipline. Not all courses require you to complete a minor. Your minor subject doesn't appear on your printed degree (parchment), but is part of your academic transcript.

    • If you're enrolled in 3 or more units in a semester this is considered full-time study. To complete most 3-year degrees studying full-time you'll need to complete 4 units per semester, i.e. 24 units over 3 years.

    • If a course is available to study part-time you can generally expect it to take twice as long to complete as it would in full-time mode. Part-time students are enrolled in 1 or 2 units maximum per semester.

      Note: International students who hold a student visa can only choose the full-time study option for our courses. This is to ensure the course is completed within the duration of the student visa.

    • Most courses start in Semester 1 each year, usually in the last week of February. Some courses can be started in Semester 2 (we call this mid-year). There's a week of Orientation before each semester to help you get used to uni life.

    • A lot of our courses start in Semester 2 each year, usually in the last week of July. We call this mid-year. There's a week of Orientation beforehand to help you get used to uni life.

    • We use a points system to make it easier for you to understand your study progress. Most Bachelors degree study units are allocated 15 credit points. If you're studying a 3-year full-time degree you'll need to successfully complete 360 credit points - that's 24 units x 15 points per unit.

    • These are compulsory units you have to successfully complete as part of your course.

    • An elective is a unit you choose to study that counts towards your course requirements, but isn't compulsory. For some courses we recommend elective units. In some situations, a course coordinator may approve an elective unit as a replacement for a compulsory one.

The Important Things

Things you should know about if you're thinking about studying here.

Course Entry

There's more than one admission pathway into an ECU course. It depends on what you've studied already, or your work or life experience.

Fees & Scholarships

Course tuition fees can change, but we can give you an estimate of your costs. If you're eligible, a scholarship or student loan can help too.

Applying

Applying for a course is a fairly simple process, especially if you have scanned copies of qualifications, your resume or other paperwork, ready to upload.

ECU Experience

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