Free taster day to discover the Centre for Advanced Training and the Swindon Contemporary Programme, with a practical dance class and sessions with the teaching team.
Swindon Dance is holding a Taster Day for the Swindon Contemporary Programme at Regent Circus on Saturday 20 March 2027. It's an open invitation to get a feel for the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) and the contemporary programme it runs. The day is built around two things: you'll meet the teaching team and take part in a practical dance class led by the centre's instructors, and you'll get the run-down on the fully funded places that can support a dancer, the admission process, and what life as a CAT student actually looks like. All the classes are designed to be accessible and enjoyable regardless of your experience level, so you don't need to be at a professional standard to turn up.
The Swindon Contemporary Programme is one of nine National CATs across the UK, providing world-class training to young people aged 11 to 19. It's supported by the Department for Education's Music and Dance Scheme, which makes the training free or subsidised for those who qualify and covers extra costs like travel, performance tickets and physiotherapy. The contemporary work runs alongside ballet, jazz, improvisation, choreography and performance, with three levels set each year based on ability, strength, maturity and technique. Past students have gone on to top vocational schools and conservatoires and now work professionally in the dance industry.
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If you've got a young dancer in the house and you're wondering whether a CAT place is the right next step, this is the day to find out. You'll get to move, meet the people who teach, and get the practical details on how the funding works. The Taster Day is completely free, and it's held at Regent Circus on Saturday 20 March 2027.
