The third and fourth years together form the graduation phase, which is part of the main phase. Students expand their stage experience and receive intensive coaching to develop their individuality, stage presence and dramatic expression. During the graduation phase, the student is permitted to change a number of study programme components to suit his/her own preference in consultation with the artistic director and study coach. This allows the student to optimally express his/her specific qualities and give direction to his/her own professional perspective. Components in which this individual choice and interpretation play an explicit role are a student’s internship, own projects and possibly study components pursued with other study programmes (for example the Mime study programme or the School for New Dance Development) or activities that make up part of an exchange programme abroad.
As orientation for professional practice, a student can follow lessons at a professional open dance studio. Students are also expected to manage their own learning process with regard to other study components. At the end of the fourth year, students collaborate with a choreographer to realize a graduation production.
