ResDance

Dancing Otherwise: Exploring Pluriversal Practices Network

In this episode, Vicky, Daniela and Michelle share insight into the focus of the network, which aims to explore how practices created by artists from diverse backgrounds and artistic perspectives, produce new understandings, positionalities and new modes of knowing.  They reflect upon their network experiences thus far and offer insights into their approaches to the network events, underpinned by practices of care and creating new opportunities for dialogue. Throughout the episode, they consider what being otherwise means to them, the potential of Pluriversal thinking in allowing us to think more broadly and how such provocation may in turn, contribute to a wider dance research ecology. Dancing Otherwise: Exploring Pluriversal Practices Network

The network emerged from the investigators’ interests in dance and politics and a curiosity about the potential for dance to explore, illustrate and provoke ways of relating and being ‘otherwise’. The Dancing Otherwise network looks beyond mainstream UK dance practices to explore culturally diverse, environmentally-engaged, experimental, edgy and novel modes of making, producing and researching dance that tell us something about the aspirations of artists and researchers for ' being otherwise' (Akomolafe 2022).

ResDance Series 6: Episode 5: People watching, making forests, drifting attention and undesigning yourself with Theo Clinkard

In this thought-provoking episode, Theo shares insight into his experiences as a dancer, choreographer, researcher and stage designer.  Through situating his thinking in his practice, we explore his experiences of collaborating with artists across disciplines; the value of encouraging investment from the performer and his thinking around bringing the person into the dancer.

Born in Cornwall and based in Dartmoor, Devon, choreographer and stage designer Theo Clinkard has performed, created and toured contemporary dance internationally for 30 years, collaborating with artists from various disciplines including film, opera, theatre, performance and television. His practice is focused on the communicative potential of the body and the empathetic capacity of dance in performance. He seeks to create opportunities for memorable connection between audiences and dancers through working with attention, the senses and the imagination as a way to generate a landscape of feelings. Theo launched his own dance company in 2012 and has steadily built a reputation for creating affecting and visually arresting contemporary work with large-scale commissions for companies such as Tanztheatre Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba and Candoco Dance Company and creations for his own company, including the celebrated ‘This Bright Field’ in 2017. His next large-scale company work ‘Village’ is planned for touring across the UK in 2025. 

Movement Direction work includes ‘Aida’ at København Opera, ‘Good Luck to you Leo Grande’ starring Emma Thompson and ‘The Faggots and their Friends between Revolutions’, which opened last years Manchester International Festival. Theo has designed for opera, theatre, dance and live art, including work with Sydney Dance Company, Skånes Dansteater, Scottish Dance Theatre, Scottish Opera, Opera La Scala and Malmo Opera. Theo is an Associate Artist at Brighton Dome and Festival and an Honorary Fellow at Plymouth University. 

Photographer Hannah Close

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ResDance Series 6: Episode 3: A Dose of Joy with Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu In this episode, Vicki shares insight into her experiences in dance and reflects upon the opportunities and the people who have informed her journey thus far. Through discussion of her work with Uchenna and as a choreographer and movement director in dance and theatre, she reveals her quest to lead with love, joy and peace and the role of empowerment in her practice, more widely. Throughout the episode, Vicki places emphasis on the value given to the individual bring seen and heard and the importance of connecting with others and helping others to see themselves in the stories they tell.

Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu is the founder, creative director and joint CEO of Uchenna, a touring dance company that empowers, entertains and educates through dance. Independently, Vicki works as a Choreographer and Movement Director working in dance and theatre and as Coach and Facilitator working in the arts. She is the Director of Empowerment at People Make It Work and won the 2020 Women in Dance Award from AWA (Advancing Women’s Aspirations with Dance), a charity dedicated to helping women and girls aspire to leadership roles through dance. She is the Colossal Connections Coach who empowers Artistic Women to LET GO OF GUILT, experience COLOSSAL TRANSFORMATIONS & RECLAIM their lives.

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ResDance Series 6: Episode 3: The continuum between Sport Science and Dance Science with James Brouner

In this episode, James shares insight into his background as a researcher and lecturer teaching performance analysis and biomechanics in both sport and exercise and dance medicine and science settings. We discuss his experiences and considerations when delivering biomechanical knowledge in a dance science setting and the value of the voice of the individual practitioner and artist in shaping research measures and future lines of inquiry.

Dr James Brouner is the course leader for Sport and Exercise Science at Kingston University, teaching performance analysis and biomechanics in sport and exercise settings.  James also delivers on the Dance Science MSc at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance supporting biomechanical knowledge in dance science.  James’ research explores the impact of movement for understanding of optimal technique, tissue mechanics and reducing injury risk. James is currently supporting the Norwegian Breaking team in preparations for the Paris Olympics in 2024 where he is offering sport science support to the athletes in training and performance.

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ResDance Series 6: Episode 2: Archives, Provenance and the Dancing Body with Laura Griffiths

In this thought-provoking episode, Laura offers insight into her experiences as a researcher and educator and shares her thinking around notions of archive in relation to contemporary dance practice. Throughout the episode, Laura encourages listeners to challenge how we might re-think the archive and introduces ideas around originality, provenance and the body as an archive, where the journey begins and understanding remains. Dr Laura Griffiths is Senior Lecturer in Dance in the Leeds School of Arts at Leeds Beckett University, UK. Laura's research focuses primarily upon notions of archive in relation to contemporary dance practice, in particular the concept of the body as archive and the role of technology in producing dance archives. She has published several book chapters and journal articles around this subject. Professional industry experience has encompassed project management within the arts, dance teaching in community settings, lecturing and research project management. Laura is currently Vice Chair of Dance HE, the representative body for the teaching of Dance in Higher Education (https://www.dancehe.org.uk).

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ResDance Series 6: Episode 1: Multi-disciplined Creative Actions and the Courage to Explore with Keith Alexander

In this episode, Keith shares insight into his background as a multidisciplinary artist scholar and his current experiences as a Fulbright Scholar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.  By situating his ideas within both theoretical ideas and artistic experience, we explore his ways of working, approaches to practice and the inspirations he draws upon as a researcher and writer. Throughout the episode, Keith advocates the value of embracing new opportunities and his commitment to advocating for marginalized communities across artistic practice.

Keith Alexander is a London based, Black American multidisciplinary artist scholar from Chesapeake, Virginia. An alumnus of Morehouse College, he began his dance training in Atlanta, Georgia through cross-registration with Spelman College’s Dance department. His academic and creative formation in “the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement” has influenced his artistic direction as he creates thought-provoking, social conscious art to heal and help transform the world. He is the 2022-2023 US-UK Fulbright Scholar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Alexander's creative accomplishments include a documentary dance short film, selected for the 2023 London International Screen Dance Festival, and international projects as a choreographer, writer, and performer. Alexander is committed to courageous storytelling and advocating for marginalized and displaced communities across the world through the arts.

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Critical Dance Pedagogy through Discourse and Practice Network with Angela Pickard and Kathryn Stamp

In this episode, Angela and Kathryn share insight into the focus of the network, which aims to bring together academics, dance educators, researchers and artists to foster opportunities for new thinking on the areas of Critical Dance Pedagogy. Through situating the ideas of the network in relation to their own experiences as educators and researchers, they explore the theoretical frameworks that inform the wider network and share how a series of hybrid symposium events and the Artist lab will explore current issues delving into equity, diversity, inclusion, and student-centered teaching approaches, with a view to generating change and legacy for the dance sector.

Critical Dance Pedagogy through Discourse and Practice Network

The network will connect academics, dance educators, researchers, artists, industry stakeholders in the UK with international peers in Scandinavia/Nordic and US as guest speakers, to support collaboration, and maximise opportunities for new thinking on the topic of Critical Dance Pedagogy, particularly understandings of equity, diversity and inclusion and student-centred pedagogy, through practice (Artist Lab) and discourse (four hybrid symposium events).

ResDance Series 5: Episode 11: Growing up in dance with Siobhan Mitchell

In this episode, Siobhan shares insight into her own background and experiences in dance and her areas of research interests, alongside her current role as a Research Fellow in in Child and Adolescent Health at the University of Exeter. Through situating her ideas within evidence based literature, we discuss the challenges young people face when growing up in dance and the role of education in the area of adolescent development.  Siobhan shares insight into both the GuiDANCE project and the GuiDANCE Network (which she founded) which aim to review practices and propose guidelines in the dance sector around growth and development.  Throughout the episode, Siobhan reflects upon her current research endeavours and the importance of encouraging an openness of conversation and the potential for working collaboratively across disciplines and research spaces.

Siobhan trained vocationally as a dancer before completing a BA Hons in Dance Studies (University of Roehampton), an MSc in Dance Science (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance) and an MRes in Health and Wellbeing (University of Bath). Awarded a full ESRC studentship in 2014, Siobhan completed her doctorate in 2018 and currently works as a Research Fellow in Child and Adolescent Health at the University of Exeter. Siobhan’s doctoral research explored the psychological and social implications of early and late maturation in adolescent ballet dancers. More recently, Siobhan led the GuiDANCE project and founded the GuiDANCE Network, a collaboration which aims to review practices in the dance sector around growth and development and propose guidelines for the sector going forward. Siobhan is passionate about education in the area of adolescent development and regularly delivers workshops for dance teachers, dance students and parents of young dancers.

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ResDance Series 5: Episode 10:  Reflections on enriching human experience and creatively using body movement to celebrate a shared movement language with Jason Keenan Smith

In this episode, Jason shares insight into his background and experiences as a dance artist, trained movement psychotherapist and Artistic Director of ThreeScoreDance and how these continue to inform his teaching practices.  By situating his ideas within theoretical frameworks and artistic experience, we explore the role and portrayal of human experiences and the power of movement in facilitating a shared language, placing it at the fore of his practice. Throughout the episode, Jason advocates a care of practice in relation to listening, an openness of conversation, generosity of time and celebrating the power of dance being for all.

Jason is a dance artist, trained movement psychotherapist and Artistic Director of ThreeScoreDance. His work as performer includes companiesvsuch as English National Opera, The Featherstonehaughs, Protein Dance, Union Dance and Walker Dance Park Music. As an emerging choreographer, he has worked with The Place Theatre, The Gate Theatre and recently premiered a new work as part of Brighton Festival 2023. Currently Jason is a Senior Lecturer at University of Chichester, where he delivers on the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes.  He continues to explore parity of expression and the portrayal of human experiences.

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In this episode, Rajyashree Ramesh shares her wealth of experiences as a performer-choreographer, Certified Laban Movement Analyst, Movement Researcher and Cultural Scientist. Through the sharing of her cross-cultural journey of dance and body knowledge in cultural traditions, she revels her thinking around the centrality of the body in relation to bodily experience, felt and embodied meaning and approaches to findings a holistic sensed experience of the body. Rajyashree reflects upon her own research practices and the coming together of these in shaping her own journey.

Dr. Rajyashree Ramesh, PhD, CLMA, is an Indian born, Berlin-based performer-choreographer, Certified Laban Movement Analyst, Movement Researcher and Cultural Scientist. Trained since early childhood in the solo dance traditions and music of South India, she moved to Berlin, Germany in 1977. Her unique artistic journey since then has centred around a cross-cultural transmission of dance and body knowledge in Indian traditions beyond cultural boundaries. Since 1996 she has been promoting both upcoming dancers and multi-genre cross-cultural stage productions under the banner Rasika Dance Theatre International.

After certifying as a Laban Movement Analyst under Peggy Hackney in 2008, she channelized her work into academic research, receiving a doctorate in 2019 from the Europe-University Viadrina in Germany. Her empirical research titled “Sensing and Shaping: The emotive-kinetic grounding of meaning. A cross-disciplinary analysis of Indian dance theatre” integrated the dance, body, and movement knowledge in Natya with current fields of research such as Linguistic Gesture Studies, Cognitive Science, Brain Research on Emotions, and Fascia Research. The practical outcome has been a trans-disciplinary Movement Studies program she coins “Bharatha to Bartenieff” with two central modules “FasciaNatya” and “CoreConcepts”.

Applications of psychology research in the dance sector with Lucie Clements

In this episode, Lucie shares insight into her own experiences in dance and her work as “the dance psychologist”, developing evidence-based support for performing artists.  Alongside sharing the approaches employed in her educational and coaching practices and research, Lucie discusses her wider thinking around the role of psychology in dance and a greater awareness of psychological support for performing artists, more generally. Throughout the episode, Lucie opens up about the challenges she has personally faced and how she uses these experiences to further help support dancers.

Dr Lucie Clements studied Psychology, Dance Science and Psychological Coaching and lectures in dance and psychology in several Higher Education institutions. In 2018 she began working as “the dance psychologist”, using her expertise gained as a psychologist, educator and researcher to develop evidence-based coaching, workshops and consultancy for performing artists. Research and evidence are key to Lucie’s work. Her expertise lies in the psychosocial underpinnings of optimal dance performance - which means the role of the training environment,teachers, parents, and peers in nurturing healthy dance engagement.

ResDance Series 5: Episode 6: Improvisation as a transdisciplinary practice for unstable times with Jo Pollitt

In this episode, Jo shares insight into her practice of improvisation across several performance, choreographic and scholarly platforms.  Alongside sharing the processes and approaches employed in her research, she explores the theoretical frameworks that more widely inform her practice and ways of working with improvisation as method.  Throughout the episode, Jo reflects upon her current research endeavours and emphasises the importance of conversation as a means of making change.   

Dr Jo Pollitt is an artist-scholar with the Centre for People, Place, and Planet, across both the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and the School of Education at Edith Cowan University on Whadjuk Noongar Country. She is convenor of Dance Research Australia,  co-founder of The Ediths, creative director of #FEAS Feminist Educators Against Sexism, co-director of BIG Kids Magazine, and author of ‘The dancer in your hands’. Jo's work is grounded in a practice of improvisation across multiple performance, choreographic and publishing platforms. Her current research is focussed on weather as a studio for grappling with feminist anticolonial relations with place. 

ResDance Series 5: Episode 5: Rediscovering why dance matters with Heather Harrington 

In this episode, Heather shares insight into her experiences as a dancer, scholar, figure skater, choreographer, and educator who believes in the value of movement and wider dance practices in shifting societal norms.  Heather discusses the approaches and methodologies employed in her research and the importance of working in a cross-collaborative manner, drawing knowledge from a variety of disciplines in fostering her curiosity. Heather shares honest reflections on both her life and experiences in dance and thought-provoking considerations around agency of the female body and her research interests on elevating the dancer above forces of exploitation, specifically the female dancer.

Heather Harrington is a dancer, scholar, figure skater, choreographer, and educator who believes that movement has the power to shift societal norms. Harrington has been steeped in the repertory of iconic dance legends, dancing with the Doris Humphrey Repertory Company, the Martha Graham Ensemble, the Pearl Lang Dance Theater, and the Bella Lewitzky Dance Company. She created her own contemporary dance company in New York City performing nationally and internationally. Being drawn to movement in the public space inspired her to create site-specific work, from creating a piece on the steps of the Federal Hall Memorial on Wall Street, NYC to staging a gun violence protest in Newark, NJ. As a figure skater, Harrington has performed, taught, and choreographed for The Ice Theatre of New York, coached for Sky Rink, NYC and Figure Skating in Harlem. Her interest in dance in the MENA region, has led to teaching and choreographing in Tunisia and Lebanon. Her artistic and scholarly collaboration with Lebanese dance artist and professor Nadra Assaf has led to performances, articles, and conferences across the globe. Assaf and Harrington have continued to create work that speaks against the violence that hauntingly remains embodied in women. She has been on faculty at Kean University, Seton Hall University, and Drew University. She received her MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and her BA in psychology from Boston University. Her scholarship examining gender and dance, dance as protest, consumer dance, and the choreographic process has been published by Choreographic Practices, Dancer Citizen, Research in Dance Education, Dance Research Journal, Nordic Journal of Dance, Journal of Dance Education, Beauty Demands, and Dance Education in Practice. A focus of her scholarship has been on elevating the dancer above forces of exploitation, specifically the female dancer.

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ResDance Series 5: Episode 4: Widening awareness and learning on mental health in dance with Manisha Aggarwal

In this episode, Manisha discusses her interests in supporting dancers with their mental health and wider considerations of mental health within the dance sector, more generally. Through situating thinking around her current PhD research, Manisha shares her thinking around barriers around mental health in dance, the application of research findings to sport and dance settings and the importance of context when considering such application. She highlights the importance of cross-discipline research in widening awareness and learning around mental health and reflects upon her position as a researcher in being situated across disciplines.  Throughout the episode, Manisha advocates the need for mental health to be a priority and for there to be greater emphasis on the role the dance sector can have on a dancer’s engagement with dance itself.

Manisha Aggarwal is currently a Trainee Sport and Exercise Psychologist, completing the Professional Doctorate with Liverpool John Moores University. Alongside this, she works as the Learning Support Lead at University Campus of Football Business. Manisha’s background has predominantly been in dance with hope to slowly make change in the dance industry in the NorthWest. Manisha has various research interests including dancers' progression and cultural competency in sports, working towards a more inclusive environment.

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Contact email: dancersmindset@outlook.com

Instagram: @dancersmindset    

Twitter: @dancersmindset

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@LJMU @UCFBUK 

ResDance Series 5: Episode 3: Dance Pedagogy and collaborative learning with Ashleigh Ritchie

In this episode, Ashleigh shares insight into her experiences as a pedagogue and researcher, with research interests in Dance Pedagogy and collaborative learning and teaching with students as partners.  Underpinned by the coming together of theoretical knowledge and practice in the ‘doing’ of teaching, Ashleigh discusses the theoretical frameworks that inform her research and teaching practices.  Throughout the episode, she highlights the role of collaboration in the co-construction of knowledge and the importance of students locating the ‘self’ in their practice.  Ashleigh shares her thinking around researcher positionality, power imbalances, equal partnerships within teaching and research settings, the importance of taking risks in practice and the wider value of dance and research degrees.

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ResDance Series 5: Episode 2: Considerations of the screen as a site of discovery and creation with Harmony Bench

In this episode, Harmony shares insight into ways of thinking about the screen as a site of creation, dissemination and discovery.  Alongside sharing the processes and approaches employed in her research, Harmony discusses the theoretical frameworks that more widely inform her research and reflects upon her translation of thinking across discourse as an interdisciplinary researcher.  Throughout the episode, we discuss the specific questions that the screen as a site poses to dance, dance history and wider scholarship.  In her reflections, Harmony highlights the importance of contextualising, historicising and situating thinking, alongside holding ourselves, as a researchers and scholars, accountable to read and learn beyond our own fields of inquiry.

ResDance Series 5: Episode 1:  Rewilding potential for creating lasting positive legacies in practice with Sara Wookey

In this episode, Sara discusses and reflects upon her work and practice around the idea of experiences as a mode for discovery and enlightenment. Alongside sharing the processes and approaches employed in her research, Sara shares insights into the theoretical frameworks that more widely inform her practice-based research and considerations around the shifting of practices in relation to geographical sites, cultural sites and shared spaces.

The idea of creating positive lasting legacies inspires me. I’m a dance artist and choreographer; a researcher, writer and educator; and an advisor, coach and mentor working with people in cultural organizations, academia, nonprofits, businesses and boards. I specialize in movement and socio-spatial experiences, creative practices and relationships that are designed to revitalize and rewild potential. I am the only creative movement practitioner who works with people to offer imaginative ways to explore and experience spatial visualization and socio-spatial relationships that reveal the potential of individuals and organizations leading to positive and lasting legacies for them, their work and for society.

Photo credit: Camilla Greenwell

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ResDance Series 4: Episode 10: Ballet and the Black British dancer experience with Sandie Bourne

In this episode, Dr Sandie Bourne shares insight into her experiences in dance and takes the listener on a journey on how her early experience of ballet inspired her PhD in Dance Studies at the University of Roehampton where she wrote her thesis, Black British Ballet: Race, Representation & Aesthetics.  Through reflecting upon her personal and professional experiences, we discuss how research has led her to create the Black British Ballet project which aims to produce a suite of resources to document the history and experiences of Black dancers and choreographers in British ballet in the last century. Through a website, documentary, children’s book and a new Black British Ballet exhibition, she advocates the importance of documenting history through bringing the voice of the individual to the fore.

ResDance Series 4: Episode 9: Promoting positive parental involvement in performance settings: suggestions for research and practice with Camilla Knight.

In this episode, Camilla shares insight into her research interests concerned with understanding and enhancing the psychosocial experiences of children in sport. With a particular focus upon the influence of parents in performance settings, we discuss the potential barriers and considerations to promoting positive parental involvement, ways of developing and optimising relationships within sport and performance settings and the importance of applying research to practice.

Dr Camilla Knight is a Professor in Sport Psychology and Youth Sport at Swansea University, UK and a visiting Professor at University of Agder, Norway. She is also the Youth Sport lead for the Welsh Institute of Performance Science and a member of the Welsh Safeguarding in Sport Strategy group. Camilla’s research interests are concerned with understanding and enhancing the psychosocial experiences of children in sport, with a particular focus upon the influence of parents. Camilla is co-author of “Parenting in youth sport: From Research to Practice” (Routledge, 2014) and co-editor of “Sport Psychology for Young Athletes” (Routledge, 2017). She has published over 25 book chapters on topics related to parental involvement in sport, as well as 65 peer reviewed journal articles. She has delivered over 20 keynote and invited presentations around the world and her work has been presented at more than 150 conferences. She collaborates extensively with academics across the Globe, including but not limited to Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the USA. Camilla also consults widely with a range of national and international sports organisations on parental involvement and youth sport participation more broadly as well as being a BASES accredited sport and exercise scientist. Due to her research knowledge, Camilla has particularly expertise in relation to developing and optimising relationships with sport settings, with an emphasis on enhancing performance, psychosocial outcomes, and wellbeing.

ResDance Series 4: Episode 8: Studio as site: Voicing bodies through research in dance pedagogy with Jamie Dryburgh

In this episode, Jamie shares insight into his experiences as a dancer, pedagogue and researcher and how these have informed his research interests in learning experiences through dance technique(s) from within the studio. We discuss the research methodologies and approaches employed in his PhD research and his role in putting himself as a teacher, mover and researcher who facilitates the learning of others. Jamie shares insightful ideas around researcher positionality, power imbalances within education and his interests in a somatic approach to learning. Throughout this episode, Jamie brings voice to the importance and validity of each individual experience and the uniqueness of our own journeys.

Dr Jamieson Dryburgh (he/him) is Director of Higher Education at Central School of Ballet, London. A dance leader, artist, pedagogue and researcher with over twenty years of experience in UK Conservatoire settings, his research interests lie in learning experiences through dance technique(s) from within the studio.

Previously as dance lecturer at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Jamieson specialised in teaching release-based contemporary dance technique, dance pedagogy and participatory dance practice. He has danced for internationally renowned choreographers and companies including Candoco, Yolande Snaith Theatredance, Physical Recall, H2dance, Ben Wright, First Person, Yelp! (Greece), Charleroi/danses (Belgium), Tandem Cie (Belgium) among others.  

 In 2020, Jamieson completed his PhD in Dance Pedagogy at Middlesex University and continues to present and published his research in this field. He is a director of Participatory Arts Qualifications, principal fellow of the Higher Education Academy, board member of DanceHE and Clore Arts Leader. 

ResDance Series 4: Episode 7: Conversations in Dance of the African Diaspora with Funmi Adewole

In this episode, Funmi shares insight into her background in media, education and the arts and her performing experiences in various context and settings, across dance and theatre. Through reflecting upon the ways in which she works in an interdisciplinary or cross-sectorial focus, she explores the role storytelling has in her practice and the importance of context in relation to conversation and discourse. Funmi explores her current research interests and encourages the need for greater conversations in Dance of the African Diaspora concerning embodied cognition, critical hybridity and creativity and somatics.

Funmi Adewole has a background in media, education, arts development and performance. She started out as a media practitioner in Nigeria and moved into performance on relocating to England in 1994. For several years she toured with Physical/Visual theatre and African dance drama companies. Her credits include performances with Ritual Arts, Horse and Bamboo Mask and Puppetry Company, Artistes-in-Exile, Adzido Pan-African Dance Ensemble, Mushango African dance and Music Company and the Chomondeleys contemporary dance company. She was chair of Association of Dance of the African Diaspora in Britain (ADAD) from 2005 to 2007. In this role she initiated and directed the ADAD Heritage project, which contributed to the documentation of black-led dance companies and choreographers in England between the 1930s and 1990s. She continues to perform as a storyteller. As a dramaturge she works mainly with makers who are interdisciplinary or cross-sectorial in focus. She completed a PhD in Dance Studies at De Montfort University Leicester in 2017. Her thesis is entitled 'British dance and the African Diaspora: The Discourses of Theatrical dance and the art of choreography – 1985 to 2005'. She is now a VC2020 lecturer in the Dance Department at the same university. Her focus is teaching and research. She is interested in PhD students with similar interests to her own.

ResDance Series 4: Episode 6: Validating within Resilience with Nadra Assaf

In this episode, Nadra shares insight into her experiences in dance as a dancer, choreographer, educator and researcher and reflects upon her work in dance in the Middle East. A keen advocate for the arts, Nadra shares her passion for education and reflects upon the difficulties she has experienced in relation to the acceptance of dance as a research practice and the barriers she continues to face in her own dance practices.  Throughout the episode, Nadra celebrates the importance of giving voice to subjective experience in dance and shares honest and emotive reflections concerning the validation of her own experiences.

Nadra Majeed Assaf is an American Lebanese Dancer/Choreographer/Academician/Researcher who has worked in the Middle East since 1991.  She is the founder/artistic director and current financial manager of Al-Sarab Dance Foundation which houses Al-Sarab Dance School as well as Al-Sarab Dance Company (or as referred to in Europe: Dance Troupe). She is also a fulltime academic (Lebanese American University) and well-known researcher in dance in the Middle East. She received her M.F.A. in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College, and a Doctorate of Education from Leicester University. In addition to those degrees she also has a BA in Theater from Centenary College and a BS in Finance from Louisiana State University. When she returned to Lebanon in 1991, she immediately founded Al-Sarab Dance (which is made up of Al-Sarab Alternative Dance School and Al-Sarab Dance Company). As an academic, she has taught across Lebanon in several different universities. She found a permanent home LAU after 13 years of being an adjunct professor, by accepting a fulltime position in 2004. She also served as associate chair of the Communication Arts Department for 5 years (2015-2020). She is best known for her work in dance in the Middle East as she has lived in Lebanon for the past 30+ years.  

ResDance Series 4: Episode 5: Finding a sense of understanding beyond the movement: Reflections and considerations with Abi Mortimer In this episode, Abi shares insight into her experiences in dance thus far and draws upon her thinking as a dancer, maker and educator. Reflecting upon the questions she poses to herself in these different roles, we discuss the role of the body in her practice and the challenges of composing work to exist on her own body and those of others.  Highlighting the importance of having a sense of understanding that is beyond the movement itself, she discusses the role of collaboration and narrative in her practice, alongside her ways of making.  With this, she shares insight into the values and ethos of Lîla Dance and the environment they aspire to create for the care and growth of their dancers.

Abi co-founded Lila Dance in 2006 and received arts council funding to create 9 works on the company, that have undergone national & rural tours, international performances and festivals.  Abi received choreographic mentorship from Hofesh Shechter and amongst others has danced for Yael Flexer, Charlie Morrissey and Detta Howe. She has established collaborations with a range of international artists from various disciplines including Gary Clarke, Simona Bertozzi (Italy), Jon Maya (Spain), International puppetry company Blind Summit and writer for the BBC/ Sky Nick Walker. Her commissioned work has shown at high profile venues including Sadler's Wells, The Roundhouse, The Place, U.Dance Finals, Laban, Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She has made award winning dance films and has extended her practice in delivering integrated professional work through research with Stopgap Dance Company. Abi is a senior lecturer at The University of Chichester and has a passion for extending her practice to creatively engage the community, regularly producing commissions for participants of all ages and abilities.

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ResDance Series 4: Episode 4: Noticing in improvisation practices with Sally Doughty

In this episode, Sally shares insight into her research interests in movement improvisation practices. Through locating her thinking in her making and performing experiences, we explore ideas in relation to the role of ‘noticing’, the body as a corporeal archive and the role of decision making in her improvisational practice.  In this episode, Sally highlights the importance of the centrality of a first-person perspective and finding ways to privilege the voice of the artist. 

Sally Doughty has been making and performing internationally since the early 90s (Mexico, USA, Latvia, Paris and Estonia) and she has a particular research interest and specialism in movement improvisation practices that span improvisation, choreography, documentation, corporeal archives, and dancing and drawing.  Her publications emerge from her practice and she writes from a first-person perspective – privileging the voice of the artist.  Recent book chapters in edited collections address improvisation from various perspectives: the role of ‘noticing’ in her improvisational practice (Oxford University Press, 2019), dancing and drawing (Cambridge Scholars, 2020); the tensions in shifting from ‘stage to page’ (Dance Books 2020) and performing corporeal archives (Palgrave MacMillan, 2020).  

She is Associate Professor Dance and the Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Dance (CIRID) at De Montfort University, Leicester, and was Research Director for FABRIC (Dance4 and DanceXchange together), 2022-2023.

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ResDance Series 4: Episode 3: Journeying into academic research with Dance Mama

In this episode, Lucy McCrudden (Dance Mama) shares insight into her experiences within dance and her journey as the Founder of dancemama.org –a professional hub and platform for parents in dance and the arts.  Through drawing upon such experiences, she reflects upon the dancers, practitioners, researchers and organisations who continue to inspire her, both personally and professionally.  Bringing awareness to the practical solutions dance and Dance Mama can create to better support parents, Lucy shares insight into her PhD research studies and her aspirations for the future.  Throughout the episode, Lucy highlights the need for greater advocacy in bringing voice to support parents and empower them to navigate their dance career and parenthood.

Lucy McCrudden, aka Dance Mama, is a London-based dance entrepreneur and advocate. She is Founder of dancemama.org - a community, information and professional development hub and platform profiling significant parents in dance and the arts. Lucy has instigated international and national networks for colleagues working with dancing parents. Lucy has dove-tailed her own work with holding key positions in learning and participation over the last 20 years. These include: Dance Artist in Residence for DanceXchange (2004), Manager for London Contemporary Dance School, The Place, Centre for Advanced Training (2005-11), Expert Panel member of the DFE Music and Dance Scheme representing the National Dance CATs (2007-2010), Vice-Chair of Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Arts Grants Panel (2006-2009), Learning & Participation Manager, Rambert (2014-16), Chair of the Board of Trustees Dance Woking (2014-16), Head of Learning and Participation, Rambert (2016-18) and Project Manager Chance to Dance, Royal opera House (2019-20).

As an independent specialist she has taught over 19,000 people across the UK and has engaged with a wide variety of dance and arts organisations in many other capacities: consultant, management, choreography, and presenting/public speaking. She is Ambassador for the Parents in Performing Arts Campaign. She has a Honourable Mention for the inaugural AWA Woman in Dance Award and nominee for the One Dance UK Awards 2021, winner of the Changemaker One Dance UK Awards 2022 and nominee for AWA Woman In Dance Leadership Award, starting a PhD in the same year at Christ Church Canterbury University. 
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ResDance Series 4: Episode 2: The dialogue between access and creativity in dance practice with Susanna Dye

In this episode, Susanna reflects up her thinking and experiences working with movement and dance in community, education and interdisciplinary performance contexts. Through exploring her ways of working, she shares insight into her processes of identifying and dismantling access barriers she experiences in her professional practice.  Underpinned by her question of “what is moving me in the space”, she considers ways of transforming access barriers; her Stimming performance research project, the dialogue of the body with the environment and her future research interests.  Throughout the episode, Susanna highlights the importance of asking questions and acknowledging needs.  

Susanna (they/them, she/her) works with movement and dance between community, education and interdisciplinary performance contexts. Being dyspraxic and dyslexic, Susanna’s approach has developed as a process of identifying and dismantling the access barriers they experience to training and professional practice. Informed by queer and social model of disability thinking Susanna explores ways of working/playing with movement that emerge from our felt sense of what we need, tuning into our senses, and attending to what feels good. Through this, Susanna explores creative ways to be in dialogue with ourselves, our environments and others.

ResDance Series 4: Episode 1: Shape-shifting and renavigation with Antonia Grove

In this episode, Antonia shares rich insight into her journey as an independent artist and reflects upon the experiences that continue to shape her practice.  Through exploring her previous collaborations and areas of interest, she brings to light questions around stereotypical masculine/feminine binaries, risk-taking, expectation and ownership. Situating these ideas in her recent experience of Master’s study in Creative Practice at Trinity Laban, she advocates the importance of bringing voice to perspectives of women and the need for greater visibility and acknowledgement throughout an artist’s career.

Antonia is a Brighton-based independent artist working in contemporary dance, dance theatre and all its related cross-artform collaborations. She moves between the roles of artistic director, choreographer, lecturer, performer, dramaturg and artistic facilitator. After graduating from the Rambert School she joined Rambert Dance Company (1998-2003) and went on to perform with Walker Dance Park Music, The National Theatre, Wayne McGregor’s Random Dance, Bonachela Dance Company, The Cholmondeleys, Charles Linehan Company, New Art Club, Fabulous Beast, Matthias Sperling, Clod Ensemble, Headspace Dance and Vincent Dance Theatre, obtaining 3 Critics Circle National Dance Award nominations for outstanding performances. Antonia founded the dance theatre company Probe in 2004 and has produced and performed 6 touring productions to date. 

As a maker she continues to be interested in creating live solo work, presenting dance theatre pieces that she writes, directs, performs and realises in collaboration with other creatives. Her work has centred around over-arching themes of power, disguise, and visibility. Since obtaining her Masters Degree in Creative Practice from Trinity Laban her practice is developing a more socially political focus as she questions stereotypical masculine/feminine binaries and explores issues concerning chaos, disorientation and risk-taking through the perspectives of women. Alongside her career, Antonia is raising three children and is an activist for parents/carers working in the Arts. 

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ResDance Series 3: Episode 11: Person-centredness, practice and advocacy with Karen Wood

In this episode, Karen shares insight into the experiences and influences that continue to inform and shape her areas of practice.  Through discussing the core components of her practice, she reflects upon her interest in the experience of the moving body and the experiences of working, participating and viewing dance.  Karen advocates the importance of a person-centred approach and the need for greater support and advocacy for the freelance dance artist, with reference to her recent research focus.  In further highlighting the role dance can play in making social and environmental change, the value of collaboration and acknowledging individuality within the sector is shared.

Karen is currently a dance practitioner, researcher and educator. She works at the Centre for Dance Research at Coventry University, as Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Birmingham Dance Network. Her current research interests are exploring concepts of collaboration, ethics of care and responsibility, collective identities and leadership in relation to freelance communities and cultural policy. She is a Board member for Wired Aerial Theatre and Chair of the Board for Vanhulle Dance Theatre. 

For her artistic research, Karen uses the lens of phenomenology, particularly perception and embodiment, and improvisation to explore digital technology, screendance and contemporary dance and tap dance practices. Karen is passionate about working with artists to expand professional practice. She sees the value in artist-led initiatives and how they can create opportunity and encourage risk taking for dance making practices. Her work includes artistic research projects that have previously been supported by Arts Council England and involved collaborating with other art forms, such as neuroscience, fine art, lighting design and music. 

ResDance Series 3: Episode 10: Chasing Curiosity with Matthew Henley

In this episode, Matthew reflects upon his research journey and offers insights into his interests on describing cognitive and social-emotional skills associated with dance education.  We discuss key facets and characteristics of research and wider thinking in relation to the field of dance and associated disciplines. Through highlighting the need to give space to different ways of knowing, Matthew advocates the importance of being curious in research and what knowledge can be learnt from dancers in the unique ways in which they occupy the world.

Matthew Henley, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Dance Education Program and Affiliated Researcher in the Arnhold Institute for Dance Education Research, Policy & Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. Henley focuses his research on describing cognitive and social-emotional skills associated with dance education. He takes a phenomenological approach, analyzing how dancers in diverse communities describe the experience of learning concepts in the dance classroom. Henley's related interests include enactive cognition in the arts, developmental and neuroscientific approaches to embodied knowing, research methods for pedagogy, and the pedagogy of research methods. Henley danced professionally in New York City with Sean Curran Company and Randy James Dance Works. Henley earned his doctorate in Educational Psychology: Learning Sciences from the University of Washington, and M.F.A. in Dance from the same institution. Previously, he served as Associate Professor of Dance at Texas Woman's University, where he coordinated the B.A program and taught in the M.F.A. and Ph.D. programs.

Series 3: Episode 9: ‘Shaking-Up’ Learning with Linzi McLagan

In this episode, Linzi shares insight into her experiences as an educator in Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Further Education settings. Throughout the episode we reflect upon her dance research in Scottish Primary schools, with relation to projects such as: ‘Shake It Up’ and ‘Step It Up’ at YDance which aim to raise attainment and support the confidence and skills of primary teachers delivering dance as part of the curriculum in Scottish schools. Further, we explore the work and aims of YDance as an organisation and reflect upon her thinking around possible barriers to dance participation and ideas for future engagement and research endeavours.

Linzi is a GTCS registered lecturer and works on the BA course at Dundee and Angus college. She has various roles at Scottish Qualification Authority and is Head of Education at YDance (Scottish Youth Dance). At YDance, Linzi is principally responsible for the Education strand of the company’s work which includes strategic planning, management and delivery of education projects and events. Her role aims to promote the delivery of dance within the formal education sector and influence the future development of dance within the Scottish curriculum. She has worked extensively throughout Scotland as a Dance Educationalist in Early Years, Primary, secondary and Further Education settings. Linzi has a passion for learning and teaching and is an advocate for dance within the Education sector. Her goal is to initiate and facilitate discussions that empower teachers as well as challenge their perceptions and tacit assumptions of dance.

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ResDance Series 3: Episode 7: Performance Histories with Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel

In this thought-provoking episode, Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel offers insight into her experiences as a researcher, educator and practitioner. Through discussion of her recent publication (the Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet, 2021), she shares her thinking around the value of ballet histories within dance discourse. Highlighting throughout the episode the importance of brining individual voices to the fore, Kathrina shares the need for curiosity in driving interest in a subject area and the importance of collaboration in the transformation of both the self and others.

Dr Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel is Head of Research at the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Her articles have been published in the South African Dance Journal, Treasures of Malta, and the Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare and Dance (2019). Her books include Princess Poutiatine and the Art of Ballet in Malta (FPM, 2020), the first book on ballet histories in Malta, and the Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet (2021). Kathrina has organised conferences in London, Paris and New York. For the RAD, she has steered conferences in Australia (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne), curates the Guest Lectures Series, and is Editor of Focus on Education. She is author of three webinar series on ballet across the 20th and 21st Centuries, and currently working on a new anthology with Adesola Akinleye (author of British Black Dance, 2019; and Reclaiming Ballet, 2021). In 2022, Kathrina joined the Executive Committee of the Society for Dance Research.

Contact details (personal)

Instagram:

@kathrina.farrugiakriel

LinkedIn:

ResDance Series 3: Episode 6: Dancing Multiplicities with Jenny Roche

In this episode, Jenny shares insight into her research practice and reflects upon her experiences as a performer, educator and practice-maker. We explore the various methods and approaches employed in her work and discuss ideas around articulating processes and the knowledge behind them. Throughout the episode, Jenny reflects upon the witnessing of her own experiences, how these continue to inform her own practices and considerations for future opportunities.

Dr Jenny Roche is Senior Lecturer and Course Director of the MA in Contemporary Dance Performance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick. From 2013 to 2017 she was a Senior Lecturer in Dance at Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. She has published widely on the creative practice of dancers, dance and Somatics and arts practice research and has worked extensively as a dancer, with a range of choreographers including Rosemary Butcher, Jodi Melnick, John Jasperse, Michael-Keegan Dolan and Liz Roche. She continues to work as a collaborator and performer in various creative arts research contexts. From 2007 to 2011 she was dance advisor to the Arts Council of Ireland. Her book Multiplicity, Embodiment and the Contemporary Dancer: Moving Identities was published in 2015 and Choreography: The Basics, co-authored with Stephanie Burridge was published in 2022.

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ResDance Series 3: Episode 5: A community of practice with Simon Ellis

In this episode, Simon shares insight into his practices of choreography, filmmaking and dance. Through exploration of approaches to practice and dance research, he discusses wider thinking and considerations around dance discourse. Simon raises the importance of reflecting on the questions we are not asking within the field and further, looking to address the unseeable. He reflects upon his personal journey thus far and thinking that continues to inform his practice.

Biography

I am an artist working with practices of choreography, filmmaking and dance. I was born in the Wairarapa in Aotearoa New Zealand, but now live in Coventry. I grew up in a politicised family environment where we often talked about things like human dignity, consumerism and even technology. These, in turn, have shaped my values as an artist, and underpin much of what my practice is about, and how it is conducted. I also think a lot about the ways humans might value things that are not easily commodified, and like to imagine a world filled with people who are sensitive to their own bodies, and the bodies of others.

ResDance Series 3: EP4: Dance in museums, heritage sites and extraordinary spaces with Katie Green

ResDance S3: Episode 3: Dance in Primary Education with Eilidh Slattery

ResDance Series 3: EP2: Experimental Approaches to Dancing-Writing and Indisciplinary Collaboration with Alys Longley

Alys Longley offers insight into her ways of working and approaches employed in her research and practice. Through exploration of approaches to her ‘dancing-writing’, she discusses ways of working with language and fostering a physicality with language -taking space to the page. In situating her ideas in her past and present research interests and indisciplinary collaborations, we discuss ideas relating to geopolitical borders, translation studies and materiality of practice.

Aly’s Longley is an interdisciplinary artist, writer and teacher, Alys’s work exists as live performance, artist-book, installation, film, education curriculum, poetry, performance writing and lecture-demonstration. Over the last decade, Alys has been exploring mistranslation studies, working across languages and disciplines to explore the spill of ideas beyond conventional systems of meaning, through a series of international artistic-research projects in Berlin (Germany), Santiago (Chile), Coimbra (Portugal), NYC (US), Chicago (US), Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland (NZ), Poneke/ Welllington (NZ), Vienna (Austria) and Stockholm (Sweden). Her books include The Foreign Language of Motion (2014), Radio Strainer (2016) Let Us Drink the New Wine, Together! (2022) and alys & pavle (2020), Life is A Sting on the Bicep of the Fabric of the Universe (2021) and Time Does This For You (2022) all with pavleheidler.  Alys has been based in the Department of Dance Studies, University of Auckland, since 2006, where she is currently an Associate Professor.

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ResDance Series 3: Episode 1: Personal experiences, reflections and thinking on dance with Sondra Fraleigh

Professor Sondra Fraleigh reflects upon her journey in dance and offers rich insights into her experiences and thinking as a theorist, writer, choreographer, teacher and practitioner. Sondra describes the phenomenological approaches and thinking used in her work and draws upon key writers, theorists and practitioners who continue to inform her practice. In this thought-provoking episode, we discuss ideas around phenomenology, truth, considerations around the subjective and inter-subjectivity and the potential for dance and somatic movement practice to be used as a means of fostering environmental awareness and change.

Sondra Fraleigh is an international leader in dance, yoga, and somatic healing arts. She is a Fulbright Scholar and professor emeritus of the State University of New York, College at Brockport, where she chaired the Department of Dance and was later head of graduate dance studies. Her innovative choreography based in somatics and inspired by butoh has been seen on tour in America, Germany, the UK, India and Japan. She served as president of the Congress on Research in Dance (renamed, Dance Studies Association) and was selected as a University-Wide Faculty Exchange Scholar for the State University of New York.

ResDance S2: Episode 11: Considerations around risk-taking and 'newness' in practice-based research with Josh Slater

Josh Slater shares insight into his creative process and the role of collaboration in his practice making and research. Through situating his thinking around his current PhD practice, Josh discusses his interests in choreographic practise, risk-taking and collaborative practices, more widely. In this episode, Josh reflects upon the approaches he employs and raises points of interest concerning self-reflexivity as a researcher and ways of documenting.

Josh Slater is programme leader for dance and senior lecturer at De Montfort University in Leicester, as well as a contemporary dance artist, theatre maker and performer. He is a part-time Ph.D. student at the Centre for Dance Research (C-DaRE) at Coventry University and assistant editor for the Intellect Choreographic Practices Journal.  He has created, and toured dance and theatre works, nationally and internationally, funded by the Arts Council England. Josh’s research interests are focused on choreographic practices, risk-taking, Dance Theatre, improvisation and collaborative practices. Josh is a mentor for emerging dance and movement practitioners and is a Director on the Board of Trustees for Exim Dance Company CIC in Devon and Cheshire Dance in Cheshire.

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ResDance S2: Episode 10: Reflections on dance-making and the creative process with Naomi Lefebvre Sell

Dr Naomi Lefebvre Sell shares insight into her choreographic practice, exploring ways of dance-making and the approaches she employs. Through exploration of her creative processes, Naomi highlights the need for openness when considering the body and the richness of working cross-discipline to empower drawing upon a range of perspectives when viewing the body and throughout the dance-making process, more generally.

Naomi Lefebvre Sell is a Reader of Choreographic Practice within the Faculty of Dance and Programme Leader for the MA/MFA Creative Practice at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Naomi lectures across the BA and MA/MFA programmes within the fields of choreography, performance and research methods as well as supervises Practice as Research PhDs. Originally from Canada, Naomi’s background as a professional dancer includes work with both Butoh and Cunningham-influenced companies. Naomi holds a BFA in Dance from Simon Fraser University and a MA Choreography and PhD in Creative Practice (Dance) from Trinity Laban. She is also a Higher Education Academy Fellow.

Naomi’s professional choreographic work has been commissioned and presented across Canada and Europe (since 1998) within festivals such as TanzArt (Germany), Brighton Fringe (UK), Dancing of the Edge (Canada) and Chutzpah! (Canada). Naomi’s practice-led research is published in academic journals and book chapters (Intellect, Frontiers and Routledge), she presents regularly at national and international conferences and is a reviewer for the Frontiers in Psychology Journal. Naomi’s artistic work and teaching is informed by her doctoral research which examined the effect of mindfulness meditation on a creative process of dance making. Naomi’s current research is funded by Arts Council England.

Contact details:

Twitter: @naomi_sell

ResDance S2: Episode 9: ResDance S2: Episode 9: Choreography and Improvisation with Seke Chimutengwende

Seke Chimutengwende shares insight into his practice making as a choreographer and performer. Through exploring the notion of collectivity and approaches to authorship, he reflects upon his making experiences and working collaboratively across disciplines that more widely inform his practice. Seke shares insight into his latest work It begins in darkness (premiered in September 2022) and the processes involved in the making and dissemination of the work.

Glenna Batson and Susan Sentler share insight into their 10-year collaboration, honing a practice-based language on bodily folding. Through discussion of their shared thinking and practices rooted in a inter/trans-disciplinary approach, they share insight into their ways of working and reflect upon their processes of making. They discuss their on-going collaborative research rooted in the concept of ‘the fold’ titled: the f/ol\d as somatic/artistic practice and offer thoughtful consideration around the ideas of languaging and the wider value (and power) of what making can offer. Glenna and Susan are currently writing a book entitled: Embodied Practices in Art Making: The Fold (Intellect Books 2023).

Glenna Batson is a Professor emeritus of physiotherapy, Glenna has drawn from multiple sources both within and outside of the academy as catalysts for teaching, research, advocacy, and artistic growth.  Glenna has worked at the intersection of dance, movement science and somatic education honing a trans-disciplinary approach to embodied cognition. She has lectured and mentored in higher education within dance, bodymind disciplines and neuro-rehabilitation. She currently teaches Somatics as faculty of dance at Peabody Institute for Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD USA), and is a guest dance educator at Duke University and University of Limerick. Clinical investigations offer fresh insights into integrative medicine, including dance improvisation for Parkinson’s, Alexander Technique & balance and mental imagery in stroke rehabilitation, research pathways underscoring mind-body methodologies. Written scholarship includes chief author of Body and Mind in Motion: Dance and Neuroscience in Conversation., a convergence of somatics, dance and neuroscience, and co-editor/contributor to Dance, Somatics and Spiritualities: Contemporary Sacred Narratives (2014). 

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Kathryn Stamp shares insight into her current research interests in the areas of dance, dance in education and the wider value of dance participation. Alongside exploring her research experiences and dance advocacy work, we discuss ideas relating to researcher identity and the sense of value as a dance researcher. Kathryn offers insightful, honest and thought-provoking reflections concerning the questions she asks herself around the value of dance research and emphasises the need to bring voice to the dance sector.

Kathryn is a dance research and educator, specialising in inclusive dance practice and research methods. Her interests span inclusive dance, dance in education and exploring the value and impact of dance. Kathryn graduated with an MA in Education (Distinction) from University of Brighton (2016) and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Dance Studies from Roehampton University (2010). In 2020 Kathryn completed her PhD at C-DaRE and her AHRC-funded research focused on photography-based interventional approaches that sought to change public perceptions about disabled people who dance. Currently, Kathryn's postdoctoral research explores the lived experience of isolated working for disabled dance artists, considering modes of communication, use of technology and change in working practices in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kathryn is enthusiastic about transdisciplinary research and has worked for the Centre for Computational Science and Mathematical Modelling on the Energy REV project, exploring stakeholder perspectives on Energy, AI and Ethics. She is one of the project team members for Gap_E[thics], which seeks to explore the concept, understanding and practice of ethics in technological from different disciplinary perspectives.

Contact details:

Email: ad6869@coventry.ac.uk

Twitter:  @kathrynstampy

@DanceResMatters

Other useful links:

ResDance S2: Episode 6: Reflections on a person-centred approach in a PhD process

Louisa Petts shares insight into her current PhD research at the Centre for Dance Research (C-DaRE) at Coventry University. Her research advocates for improved access to dance that is meaningful for older populations, whilst questioning whether dance genre and style offer entirely unique experiences of belonging for participants. Through discussing her PhD process, she shares the varying research approaches, methodologies and methods employed in her research and on the wider reflections she has concerning her role and positionality as a researcher. Providing honest and considered reflections on her PhD journey thus far, Louisa highlights the need for continued advocacy for a person-centred approach throughout the research process.

Louisa is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Dance Research (C-DaRE) at Coventry University. She is the recipient of the Arts and Humanities Research Council studentship award offered by Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership. Louisa studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where she graduated with an MSc Dance Science with Distinction in 2019. Prior, Louisa studied at the University of Roehampton, achieving First Class Honours and receiving the prize for Best Dissertation in BA Dance Studies in 2018.

Louisa has worked as a community dance artist delivering dance classes to those living with dementia in assisted living homes and people living with Parkinson’s. She currently works as a lecturer at De Montfort University and bbodance and is an editorial assistant for the Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices. Louisa is also part of the site-specific research project ‘The Shape of Sound’ in collaboration with artist-researcher Petra Johnson and researchers at the Centre for Dance Research (C-DaRE), which explores the embodied technologies of the human inner ear through movement practice.

Contact details:

Email: pettsl@coventry.ac.uk

ResDance S2: Episode 5: Reflections on the research process and greater support for dancers’ mental health with Erin Sanchez

Erin Sanchez shares insight into her current PhD research - in the area of dancers’ mental health and psychological skills development during the talent development process. Alongside exploring her current research, we discuss ideas relating to barriers around participant recruitment, the need for a person-centred approach in all research, ethics of care throughout the research process and a greater need for mental support within the dance sector. Erin offers insightful and honest reflections concerning her researcher journey thus far, the questions she finds herself asking herself about the dance sector and poignantly highlights the need for continued advocacy and support in the areas of mental health for dancers.

ResDance S2: Episode 4 – Reflections on the dancing body with James Hewison

James offers insights into his journey as a dancer, choreographer, educator and researcher, reflecting upon his training and professional experiences, and his current areas of research focus. Through discussion around his different ways of working, he shares thoughts on the role of decision making in his practice and the value of process in improvisation and creative tasks. Throughout this rich and well-considered episode, James reflects upon the questions he asks about his own dancing body.

ResDance S2: Episode 3: Practices of care: themes of autonomy in the context of dance

Grace Nicol and Temi Ajose Cutting offer insight into their shared experiences as artists, alongside their current research practices and interests. Through revealing their processes and ways of working, they discuss their shared interest of supporting the wellbeing and needs of dancers both inside and outside of the studio. In this open dialogue, they question the autonomy of the performer, the power dynamics of inviting people to be seen, and invite listeners to consider where power and responsibility lie within these exchanges.  

In this episode, they discuss the practice-based collaborative project, Slip Mould Slippery, concerned with body, object and space relations and the power structures that exist around these ideas, exploring how to dismantle these structures through movement practice. This is supported by a new pastoral care offer where they are attempting to redefine the way choreographers work with freelance dance artists.

Grace Nicol 

Grace Nicol is a London-based choreographer, movement director, and activist. Her choreographic work has been shown predominantly in gallery and museum contexts in London and nationally including; London College of Fashion, Hackney Showroom, Performance Space, NN Contemporary, Tate Modern, V&A Museum, Guest Projects. She has also worked on commercial projects/film (including BBC, NTS, Chivas Regal, i-D, Christian Louboutin). She’s a visiting lecturer and provide mentoring, workshops & talks for institutions/community groups (LCDS, Dance4, AMATA, London Bubble’s Creative Homes etc). She has been featured in various media publications (Hunger, Dazed, Arts Professional).

Contact details:

Instagram: @gracebnciol

ResDance S2: Episode 2: The Embodied Researcher with Professor Angela Pickard 

Professor Angela Pickard shares rich insights into her research practices in Dance Education from a variety of perspectives. Reflecting upon the role qualitative methodologies play in facilitating a person-centred approach, we discuss the value of working collaboratively; the importance of longitudinal research when capturing experience and the wider role of a multifaceted approach when gaining insight into the social world in which those in the research inhabit. Through insight into her ethnographic and auto-ethnographic research approaches, she further highlights the need for a person-centred focus within a research setting.

Angela is a Professor of Dance Education at Canterbury Christ Church University, where her research is focussed on dance education and performance science. She is interested in relationships between body and identity(ies) in dance and embodiment, drawing on sociology (Bourdieu), pedagogy and psychology. Angela is Editor in Chief for the international journal Research in Dance Education and on the Editorial board for Journal of Dance, Medicine and Science.