Robbie Garland, from Sedbergh, has loved performing from a young age and while at school, wanted to pursue his passion for drama.
But auditioning for a college which included a dance aspect changed his life and after finishing his A-levels, Robbie applied to study BSc (Hons) Dance and Drama at Edge Hill.
And a year into his course, he found he loved the dance aspect so much that he wanted to focus solely on that.
“College was a revelation for me because it built my enthusiasm for dance so much that I applied to do Dance and Drama at Edge Hill.
“After my first year I realised it was the dance element that I was most passionate about.”
Robbie Garland
During his studies, Robbie took on a position as Young Producer for Wigan Dance Festival along with fellow Edge Hill students to broaden his skillset and gain insight into the production side of the industry.
“I’m naturally a performer and that’s my passion but I wanted to do something different to build my skills and try something new.
“We helped run workshops and it was a rewarding experience.
“Going as a collective from Edge Hill made it less daunting. It was my first time putting on workshops and it was nice to do it collaboratively. It gave me a different perspective on the industry.”
Robbie Garland
During his studies, Robbie was also successful in auditioning to perform with Company Chameleon, a Manchester based organisation which also tours internationally, staging over 50 indoor and outdoor performances every year.
He credits this with being the turning point that gave him the confidence to imagine a full-time career working in dance.
“My dream is to dance with full time with a company but also to start my own company,” Robbie said.
“The teachers and lecturers at Edge Hill really do the absolute best to push you out of your comfort zone.
“We were always being trained in different ways and learning about different aspects of dance. It was a really rounded education.
“I’m leaving Edge Hill with a great experience and good grounding to start my career in dance.”
Robbie Garland
To discover more about our courses, please visit ehu.ac.uk/study.
July 19, 2023
