NASDA - National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art

nasda Singing, Acting, Voice, Musicianship & Performance
Contact: Mark McEntyre - Programme Leader
NASDA c/o CPIT PO Box 540 Christchurch New Zealand
Ph: +64 3 940 8000 or 0800 24 24 76
mcentyrem@cpit.ac.nz www.nasda.co.nz

NASDA - the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art is dedicated to excellence in music theatre training and aims to produce fully integrated performers capable of employment throughout the performing arts industry. The successful performer anywhere in the industry today needs to be versatile and dynamic, with an ability to act, sing, and dance.

At NASDA we offer a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree which combines these disciplines to produce a sought-after "triple threat" performer.

With NASDA being part of the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology , performing arts students are able to study at an institution that has built a tradition of excellence in tertiary education over 100 years.

Courses
Courses offered at NASDA are a fully integrated synthesis of seven subjects essential to produce a 'triple threat' performer. The courses are holisitc in nature and all subjects are inter-related. Students are required to attend all classes and reach a satisfactory level of achievement in all subjects in their programme.

COURSE CONTENT INCLUDES:

ACTING
Improvisation, acting technique, text analysis, scene work, performances, dramatic literature, acting for camera.

SINGING
Individual singing lessons, song repertoire, performance practice classes, music theatre ensembles.

DANCE/MOVEMENT
Jazz, ballet, tap, movement for actors.

VOICE
Alignment, breathing, development of range, resonance, articulation, text work, study of accents, phonetics.

MUSICIANSHIP SKILLS
Music theory, sight singing, computer applications, piano labs and harmony singing.

THEORETICAL & CULTURAL STUDIES
History of theatre, theory of performance, research project, bicultural issues in theatre, kapa haka, waiata.

In addition, students at NASDA rehearse and present a variety of in-house productions and public performances including professionally supported musicals, plays and music theatre revues.

In their third year graduating students may be offered the opportunity to showcase their talent to agents, casting directors, prominent members of the industry and other prospective employers.