Academic year 2024-25
August 19th 2024 – May 23rd 2025
Application period
Application for the academic year 2024-25
opens 1.2.2024
Do you want to be an actor? Do you want to focus on developing your skills for a full year?
Lovely to see that you are interested in our Acting in Helsinki program at Borgå folkakademi. This is a Swedish speaking folk high school in the center of Porvoo, about 50 km east of Helsinki. This course will be taught for the most part in the center of Helsinki.
This study program in acting is aimed at students who want to deepen their knowledge in the performing arts, but also those who want to develop completely new skills. The program is designed to give you a broad education in different aspects of acting. You can also use this program of study as a springboard for further studies in theater, film acting, music theater and so on.
During the year you will be able to develop your knowledge and skills in primarily theater, but also dance and singing in a safe environment with experienced teachers and instructors. The year consists of a basic course in theater as well as workshops and longer modules in other subjects. We will also have guest lectures from professionals in the industry and you get the opportunity to participate in various productions. Topics we will work with include improvisation, physical theater, text work, comedy, musical theater and film acting, etc.
During the studies you will get to know different roles on and behind the stage. You not only learn about the actor’s work image, but also what the director, producer, production assistants and technical staff do. You also learn acting from an educational angle; how to teach theater and help your co-workers develop.
The program director is the theater director and educator Jermo Grundström. After more than ten years on stage, Jermo got a directing degree at the East 15 Acting School (University of Essex). After that he has directed plays around Finland. He has also taught at the Tampereen Ammattikorkeakoulu (TAMK), the Skene musiikkiteatterikoulu and Uniarts in Helsinki.
Contact and further information
Jermo Grundström
Programme Director:
Jermo Grundström | Phone +358 (0)44 031 3234 | jermo.grundstrom@akan.fi
Place:
Helsinki. exact location will be announced later
Language of instruction:
The line is taught in Swedish and also Finnish. Some lessons are also taught in English, based on the teacher and the students. We are happy to take students from other Nordic countries and from other countries. Everyone is welcome!
Study fees:
400 €/month including teaching, lunch & afternoon coffee
(The fees apply to the academic year 2023-24)
Accomodation:
If you need accommodation, you can board in the school’s dormitory connected to the school in Porvoo (Borgå folkakademi Runeberginkatu 16-18, Porvoo). You are responsible for the travel costs between Porvoo and Helsinki.
Cost 200 €/month in a shared double room or 260 €/month for a single room, including breakfast Monday-Friday and supper Monday-Thursday. Further information about accommodation and costs can be found here.
Application periods and entrance exams:
First application period: 1.2-20.6.2023 (entrance exam is arranged in the middle of June)
Second application period: 26.6.2023 – 11.8.2023 (entrance exam is arranged in the beginning of August).
Note the following:
- The education is mainly aimed at persons 18 or more, but younger than 18 can apply.
- Everyone who applies for the course will be asked to attend an entrance exam.
- The second application period will only take place if not all the places were occupied during the first application period.
The studies
The school year is split up into four main modules:
- The work of the actor – ca 300 h
- Body and communication
- Text analysis
- Improvisation
- Movement
- Scene studies
- Speech technique
- Physical theatre – ca 250 h
- The fundamentals of physical theatre
- Acrobatics
- Dance theatre
- Mask and mime
- Stage combat
- Devising
- Improvisation
- Musical theatre – ca 150 h
- Music theory and reading sheet music
- The history of musicals
- Singing and expression
- Choir and harmony
- Audition technique
- Film acting – ca 100 h
- Film acting (in the class room)
- Camera work (in front of the camera)
- Script work
- Post work (editing and directing)
- Voice acting and dubbing
- Casting workshops
Language
The study program is bilingual (Swedish and Finnish). Some lessons are also taught in English, depending on the language skills of the teacher in question.
Goals for the year
- To develop as an actor, dancer and singer
- To gain a stronger self esteem and confidence as a performer
- To broaden knowledge of the acting industry in Finland and abroad, as well as make new contacts in the industry
Extent
The studies are generally full-time folk high school studies, 25×45 min per week.
We withhold the right to change the contents and offers in our courses and educational programmes.
The study programme is a collaboration between Borgå folkakademi and Västra Nylands folkhögskola
