A podcast dedicated to research in dance practice, intended for educators, students, practitioners and performers and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action. Series 1 - 10 of ResDance are now live! podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/resdance Social media platforms - follow ResDance: Instagram: @resdancepodcast Facebook: facebook.com/resdancepodcast
ResDance Series 11: Episode 3: Dancing Together: The Transformative Power of Community Dance with Natalie How In this episode, Natalie shares insight into her socially engaged dance practice, exploring how accessibility, participation, and joy create spaces for connection, expression, and belonging. Drawing on her Master’s research and experience across diverse communities, she reflects onhow dance can build confidence, encourage dialogue, and inspire social change. The conversation explores the role of language, equity, and reflective practice in creating inclusive dance environments, as well as Natalie’s hopes for futurework with intergenerational groups and adults with learning disabilities. This episode highlights the power of community dance to bring people together and transform experiences through movement. Biography Natalie is a Community Dance Practitioner who believes in movement that does good and feels good. She recently graduated with Distinction and received theHighest Achievement Award for her Master’s degree in Dance Leadership and Community Practice from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Natalie graduated from Royal Holloway University in 2020 with a First-Class degree inDance. Originally trained in Ballroom and Latin, she has since explored a wide range of movement practices including Contemporary, Jazz, Commercial, Hip-Hop, and Somatic Practice. With many years’ experience as a dance teaching artist, Natalie has facilitated creative movement experiences for participants aged 4–80 across diverse communities and dance styles. She is passionate about making dance accessible to everyone and creates spaces where movement can support physical and mental wellbeing, connection, and self-expression. Natalie believes in the transformative power of dance as a tool for positive social change. Her practice centres individual experiences and personal stories, usingperformance art, film, installation, and movement to explore identity, challenge social norms, and create opportunities for care, empowerment, and collective connection. Contact details Email: nataliehow19@gmail.com Website: www.reflectiontoaction.co.uk/about-2-1 Social Media Insta: @_nataliemoves_ Resources of interest https://arestlessart.com/co-creation/ https://www.communitydance.org.uk/DB/animated-library/what-do-we-do-now-the-deconstruction-of-four-decades-of-dance-development-i https://www.campaignforthearts.org/the-state-of-the-arts-one-year-on/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThere%20is%20a%20very%20real,Service%20year%2Don%2Dyear Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 11: Episode 2: Finding Home in The Body: Intuition, Belonging & Butoh Dance with Dominique Savitri Bonarjee In this episode, Dominique shares her journey into Butohand reflects on how her heritage, travels, and lived experiences have shaped her creative practice. We explore the body as a site of memory and belonging, and how movement has become a way of finding an internal sense of home. Dominique discusses her intuitive, site-responsive approach to making work, revealing how she listens to and collaborates with the spaces she inhabits. She shares insights into her Collapse series, her interdisciplinary practice, and her interest in creating conditions where movement can emergethrough both doing and non-doing. We also talk about her recently published monograph, the role of collaboration, the relationship between body, space, and audience, and the value of working with uncertainty. It's a thoughtfulconversation about embodiment, creativity, and the transformative potential of movement. Biography Dominique Savitri Bonarjee is an Indian-French artist, dancer, and researcher working across choreography, sound, electronic instruments, and visual art. For her, dance is a"rebellion of the body" and a practice of "(more-than-) humanrehabilitation." Drawing on postwar Butoh, ritual practices, and contemplative traditions, her work explores the body as a site of continual transformation amid ecological, technological, and social change. Her monograph Butoh, as Heard by a Dancer (Routledge, 2024) documents encounters with seminal Japanese performance artists, while herdoctoral project Space of the Nameless (Goldsmiths, 2024)developed an embodied research methodology transmitted through artistic scores for exploring nondual attention in creative practice. Alongside performances and pedagogical projects, Dominique creates site-responsive installations and participatory works presented in galleries, festivals, and research contexts internationally. Her decade-long performance action COLLAPSE is a poetic choreography of exhaustion and rest in the context of acceleration, burnout, and polycrisis, while her ongoing project Butoh Mutations reimagines Butoh's radical postwar legacy for contemporary bodies and conditions. Dominique’s enduring fascination with intuition and the transformative potential of the unknown is deeply informed by Taoist martial arts practices and Sufi dance. Contact details Website: Spaceofthenameless.art Website: Butoh.co .uk Social Media @spaceofthenameless @butoh_mutations LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-savitri-bonarjee/ Resources of interest https://www.routledge.com/Butoh-as-Heard-by-a-Dancer/Bonarjee/p/book/9780367631192# Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 11: Episode 1: Artist-led co-commissioning for dance and heritage with Katie Green In this episode, Katie shares her experience as a choreographer creating dance, music and storytelling projects across museums, heritage sites, libraries, galleries and other unique spaces. We explore the developing Imagination Museum network, which supports artists and communities to connect through the stories held within heritage spaces. Katie reflects on the importance of collaboration, care and supporting artists, as well as therole dance can play in building belonging, empathy and connection. She discusses the growing recognition of dance and heritage work, the need for greater visibility and advocacy, and encourages listeners to explore the placesaround them and discover the stories waiting to be uncovered. Katie Green is a choreographer specialising in working with dance, music and story-telling in museums, heritage sites, libraries, galleries and other extraordinary spaces. As well asdirecting her company, Made By Katie Green, she manages the developing Imagination Museum dance/heritagenetwork and works extensively in primary schools developing curriculum-linked programmes that engage young people and transform their experience through the arts. All of herprojects are developed collaboratively with a broad range of partners -particularly those who may not have worked with dance before. Through those projects she aims to build a stronger sense of belonging and courage within communities, providing connection with the environment and the world around us, celebrating every part of who we are, and shifting mindsets about what dancecan do. Contact details Email: katie@madebykatiegreen.co.uk Website: www.madebykatiegreen.co.uk Social Media @madebykg (Insta) @madebykatiegreen (FB) @imaginationmuseum (Insta) @TheImaginationMuseum (FB) Resources of interest Case Studies and Resources from The ImaginationMuseum dance/heritage network: www.imaginationmuseum.co.uk Article about the co-commission process from TheImagination Museum: https://imaginationmuseum.co.uk/getting-started-with-co-commissioning/ Essential Read about getting started with dance inmuseums here: - https://imaginationmuseum.co.uk/resource/first-steps-for-working-with-dance-in-museums-and-heritage-sites/ Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 11: Between Borders andBodies with Sivan Rubinstein In this episode, Sivan reflects on her practice as anartist-researcher and the role of collaboration with academics, practitioners, and researchers in shaping her work. She explores how her choreographic practice engages with ideas larger than the self, using movement to investigatebelonging, identity, and what it means to feel at home. Together, we discuss the creative process behind Novo ,a work shaped by questions of embodiment, home, and transformation. We explore how dance can act as a tool for research and reflection, as well as creating during motherhood and the importance of holding space for both performers and audiences. Sivan also reflects on the influence of visual arts and interdisciplinary practice, the relationship between ideas and making, and how audiences are invited into a journey of reflection and connection. This episodeinvites listeners to consider where and how we find home—in our bodies, our communities, and the spaces we create together. Biography Sivan Rubinstein is a London-based choreographer,director, researcher, and movement director whose interdisciplinary practice combines dance, visual arts, and academic research. Her work explores migration, belonging, climate futures, and embodied activism through highlyvisual performances, installations, and collaborative projects. A Work Place Artist at The Place, Artist in Residence at the University of Cambridge, and Associate Artist at Pavilion Dance, she has presented work nationally andinternationally. As a neurodiverse artist, she is developing Beat Space Beat , an evolving methodology that explores creative practice and learning through a neurodivergent lens. Biography Link Photo credit: Nefeli Kentoni Contact details Email: junemoonarts@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sivan.rubinstein/ Other Social Media Website: https://www.sivanrubinstein.com Vimeo : https://vimeo.com/sivanrubinstein Relevant Resources: Link for videos Credit : Film by Upright Fools DOP Kaasam Aziz Commissioned by The Place Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 10: Experiences and Reflections on South Asian Dance for Autistic Children: A Research Collaboration with Akademi This episode explores a collaborative research projectbringing together researchers, South Asian dance artists, educators, and families to investigate the emerging field of South Asian dance and autism. Following an introduction from Subathra (Artistic Director and Joint-CEO) on the work of Akademi, we situate the conversation within the project itself. Ashley and Claire reflect on its planning, delivery, and documentation, exploring how the experiences ofparticipants, families, and practitioners were captured throughout the research process. The episode explores how movement, rhythm, storytelling, and embodiedcommunication within South Asian dance can support autistic children’s engagement, learning, self-expression, and connection. Reflecting on their experiences of the project, Ashley and Claire highlight the value of combiningevidence-based research with the creative expertise of dance practitioners, emphasising a co-created, child-centred approach that places young people’s needs at the heart of the work. Akademi Website: https://www.akademi.co.uk/ Instagram: @akademidance Resources: https://www.akademi.co.uk/akademi-resources/send-digital-resources/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41287245/ Biography: Ashley Brain Ashley holds a BA (hons) degree in Dance with a major in Ballet from the University of Calgary, Canada, an MSc in Dance Science from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music andDance, and a PhD from University of Roehampton. She continues to teach at Roehampton and Pilates conditioning for dancers at London Contemporary Dance School in the UK. Her teaching in higher education has focused primarily onballet and topics under the dance science umbrella including anatomy, biomechanics, conditioning, psychology and somatic education. Ashley has presented her research at a variety of international conferences, and she continues to publish research in the area and is interested in developing new methodologies and approaches to research in the dance for health sector. www.ashbraindanceandhealth.com Contact details: Email: ashbrain1@gmail.com Linked In: Dr Ashley Brain (nee McGill) Instagram: ash_brain1 Biography: Claire Farmer Claire Farmer is a dance educator and researcher with 15+ years’ experience in the performing arts. Her work bringstogether anatomy, dance science, somatic practice, community engagement, strength and conditioning, female health and dance for health. She has taught and collaborated with leading organisations across the UK, including All orNothing Aerial Dance Theatre, Gravity & Levity, London Studio Centre, Pagrav Dance Company, Sujata Banerjee Dance Company, Akademi, DanceEast CAT and The Circus Doc. Claire is co‑editor of The ‘Female’ Dancer, co‑host of itsaccompanying podcast, and a regular contributor to journals, magazines and sector publications. She also chairs the Strength and Conditioning Special Interest Group for the International Association for Dance Medicine andScience. Contact details: Website: Instagram: www.clairefarmer.co.uk Instagram: @dancesci_claire Email claire@clairefarmer.co.uk Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 9: Moving Beyond the Studio: Improvisation, Storytelling and the Practice of Being Human with Helen Kindred In this episode, Helen shares insights from her experiences across a range of dance practices, with a particular focus onimprovisation as both a performance practice and a life skill. Drawing on the ways her artistic and teaching practices are informed by Bartenieff Fundamentals, Helen reflects on how movement has been a source of both physical and emotional safety throughout her life. She speaks about the value of slowing down, doing less, and creating space for imagination, play, and discovery. We also discuss how her approach to movement fosters a more sensory relationship with the body—one rooted in awareness, connection, and the wider role movement plays in everyday life. Throughout the conversation, Helen reflects on how movement can deepen our relationship with ourselves and others. Biography Helen is a dance-artist and scholar whose work over the past 30yrs has moved in layers of, community engagement, choreographic practice-as-research, and pedagogies of dance, and somatic practices. Helen’s teaching philosophy centres on relational and inclusive ways of being in theworld. Helen’s research practice builds on her long-standing practice of Bartenieff Fundamentals; using LBMS as a framework for engaging with people and places, nurturing environments of imaginative explorations and play throughimprovisation. Publications include ‘In-the-Between-ness: Decolonising and re-inhabiting our dancing’, co-authored chapter with Dr Adesola Akinleye in Narratives in Black British Dance Embodied Perspectives (Akinleye, A. (ed. 2018), ‘Improvisation and Change’ article in Animated (Summer2020), ‘Moving Meditations: embodying Bartenieff Fundamentals through sensorial awareness of breath, bones, and gravity’, Journal of Dance, Movement andSpiritualities (2022). The ‘Female’ Dancer: a soma-scientific approach (Eds with Claire Farmer, 2024), Dancing Place: scores of the city, scores of the shore , co-authored with Dr Adesola Akinleye (2026). Helen is Director ofStudies at Northern School of Contemporary Dance https://www.nscd.ac.uk , co-Artistic Director of DancingStrong Movement Lab https://dancingstrongmovementlab.com and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Dance, Movement and Spiritualities https://www.intellectbooks.com/dance-movement-spiritualities . Contact details/Social media channels Email: Helen.kindred@nscd.ac.uk Social Media: Facebook: HelenKindred / Instagram: @helenkindred Other social media handles @northern_school @dancingstrong_movementlab Other links of relevance https://dancingstrongmovementlab.com , https://www.nscd.ac.uk https://www.intellectbooks.com/dancing-place https://www.routledge.com/The-Female-Dancer-a-soma-scientific-approach/Farmer-Kindred/p/book/9781032466897 Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 8: Co-production in participatory arts and dementia research with Olivia Turner and Katey Warran In this episode, Olivia and Katey explore the intersections of arts and health, reflecting on how these connections shape their respective practices and research. They discuss the importance of centering diverse ways of knowing and being, grounded in relationships and lived experience. Drawing on their work in participatory arts and dementia research, they examine how co-production informs every stage of their projects—from design and delivery to evaluation. The conversation highlights their approaches to meaning-making and collaboration with people living with dementia, as well as those involved in delivering the work. They also consider the value of capturing lived experience as a way to inform research and influence policy, alongside the role of evaluation and multi-voice storytelling in empowering both participants and practitioners. Throughout the episode, they reflect on their individual journeys and emphasise the central role of relationships in shaping their evolving practice. Biography: Olivia Turner Dr Olivia Turner is an artist and researcher at the University of Edinburgh. Her work is at the interstices of creative practice-led research, medical humanities and arts & health. She is currently undertaking postdoctoral research at the University of Edinburgh. This work focuses on participatory arts, co-production and social justice, meaning-making, and evaluation. She is Deputy Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia and the PATHS (Public Health, Arts, Theory and Social Science) Research Group. She is also Associate Lecturer in Fine Art at Newcastle University. Contact details: Email: olivia.turner@ed.ac.uk Personal Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviaturner-art/ Other social media handles: @oliv.turner Biography: Katey Warran Dr Katey Warran is Head of the PATHS (Public Health, Arts, Theory, Sociology) Research Group and Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (ECRED), both based in the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh. She is the recipient of a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship exploring how to co-construct a Sociology of Arts and Health. She is also Honorary Fellow in the Social Biobehavioural Research Group at University College London, where she was previously Deputy Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health. Katey’s research explores the complex relationship between the arts and health, and she is currently co-authoring a book with Professor Norma Daykin on the Sociology of Arts and Health (Routledge, forthcoming). Staff Profile : https://edwebprofiles.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-katey-warran Contact details: Email: kwarran@ed.ac.uk Personal Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateywarran/ Fellowship: https://linktr.ee/socarthealth Published sources and recommendations: https://linktr.ee/IMAGINED https://www.pathsresearchgroup.org/research Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 7: Participation and Person-Centred Practice at English National Ballet with Laura Harvey In this episode, Laura reflects on her journey throughdance, sharing how her background and experiences continue to shape her artistic practice today. Exploring themes of connection, community, and collaboration, we situate our conversation within English National Ballet’s engagement programmes, highlighting the power of participation to enrich both individuals and the art form itself. Laura discusses the importance of creating opportunities for people to experience dance in a meaningful, embodied way,emphasising a person-centred approach that values every voice in the room. Through exploring her approach to curating meaningfulexperiences, Laura shares insight into her role in curating spaces where individuals feel supported to explore and express their own artistic voices. She reflects on how the sector continues to evolve and how her practice responds tothese changes. At its core, this episode centres on nurturing creativity, championing inclusivity, and making space foreveryone to connect with dance. Biography Laura is Head of Creative Programmes at EnglishNational Ballet, responsible for the management of high-quality, artistic, engagement programmes including ENB’s Dance for Health strand, artist development and several flagship performance projects. She has worked extensively in the sector with world-class dance organisations including Rambert, Ballet Boyz, Richard Alston Dance Company and Sadler’s Wells amongst others. In addition to her role atENB, Laura is a qualified Personal Performance Coach, Lead Dance Artist for Dance Mama and is Co-Chair of Parents in Performing Arts (PiPA). Laura is a proactive leader with a deep-rooted commitment to engage people in the arts,championing inclusivity and opportunity for all, through high-quality artistic practice. Image Credit: Matt Nalton Photography Contact details Email: info@ballet.org.uk and Engagement@ballet.org.uk Instagram: @lauharveytodd / @englishnationalballet LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraharveydance/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/english-national-ballet/ Please share this episode with students,educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 6: A Decade of Dancing with Women Affected by Cancer with Emily Jenkins In this episode, Emily shares her experiences as a dance artist and reflects on her own artistic journey and how it has shaped the spaces she creates for others. Emily reflects on her own artistic journey and how it has shaped the spaces she creates for others. We explore the evolution of Move Dance Feel , thecommunity she founded in 2016 for women living with and beyond cancer, and what it truly means to move alongside one another through challenging and transformative moments. Our conversation places people at the center—therelationships built, the shared experiences, and the importance of reciprocity. Emily speaks about her core values of release, connection, and joy, and how these are felt in every session. While research increasingly supports dance incancer care, Emily highlights what goes beyond evidence: the joy, magic, and sense of wholeness that emerge when people dance together. She reflects on the past ten years of her work, the growth, and the deep meaning she has foundthrough the community she has nurtured, while looking ahead to what’s still to come. This episode is about dance, but more importantly, it’s about connection, support, and the transformative power of moving together. Biography Emily Jenkins is an established, international dance artist with an embedded social and wellbeing practice. She designs, implements and artistically leads life enhancing dance initiatives. Emily has worked in dance for over fifteen years, and in that time has created and delivered countless opportunities for dance engagement with both cultural and health organisations. Her practice fosters unity, and is centred around release, reciprocity and joy. In 2016 Emily founded Move Dance Feel , a company offering dance to womenliving with and beyond cancer, and works closely with cancer support services to incorporate dance into their care programmes. With a particular interest in addressing inequality through dance Emily created Women Who Dance in 2023, as a way of providing safe and creative spaces for all women. The initiative aims to reduce stress andloneliness among women, foster fear rebellion, and encourage physical and mental expansion. Since 2019 Emily has served as a committee member for the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science , and in 2020 shewas selected as Churchill Fellow . In 2021 she won a National Lottery Art, Culture and Film Award , and Positive News magazine named her as one of ‘ 10 ordinary people who made 2021 extraordinary ’. Additionally, she received a One Dance UK Award in Health and Wellbeing in 2025. Full biography: https://www.emily-jenkins.com/biography Contact details/Social media channels movedancefeel@gmail.com @movedancefeel (facebook, instagram, linkedin) @emilyjanejenkins Other links of relevance https://www.emily-jenkins.com/churchillfellow https://www.emily-jenkins.com/training https://www.movedancefeel.com https://www.movedancefeel.com/theargument https://www.movedancefeel.com/anniversary Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 5: Dancing Across Borders with Anna Des Clayes In this episode, Anna shares insights as a community dance facilitator and choreographer whose work celebrates movement, culture, and connection. Drawingon the lived experiences of participants, she leads workshops that inspire curiosity, joy, and co-creation. We explore her approach to intergenerational exchange, storytelling, and the ways movement fosters social connection. Annareflects on the creative process, ethics of care, and the power of giving participants freedom and space. Throughout, she highlights ideas of community and communitas , celebrating the transformative possibilities of moving, sharing, and connecting together. Biography Anna Des Clayes is a community dance facilitator and choreographer whose work explores participation,intergenerational exchange, and social connection through movement. She is particularly interested in co-creating dance with refugee and migrant communities, using creative practice as a tool for storytelling, care, and collectivebelonging. Originally training professionally at London Studio Centre, Anna’s early dance career was interrupted by injury, leading her to pursue her parallel academic interest in science. She worked as a science teacher in London and Madrid before returning to dance to complete an MA in Choreographyat the University of Chichester, graduating with a first-class degree. Anna’s recent projects include Trails of Migration (2022), commissioned by Sussex Dance Network and co-devised with refugee and migrantwomen; Communi-ties from the Past (2023), developed through South East Dance’s Brighton Fringe Bursary and featuring performers aged 11 to 86; and Portals (2025), an immersive work for Brighton Fringe. Her piece PlayTime has been presented at multiple venues, including the Southbank Centre. Alongside her choreographic practice, Annaleads regular intergenerational dance and movement sessions in Crawley, teaches yoga to children, young people, and adults, and curates community dance eventsacross Brighton and Sussex. Headshot Photo Credit: Matilda Van Orden Contact details/Social media channels Email: Communitasdance@outlook.com Instagram: @communitasdance Other links of interest Organisations that support refugees and migrants in Brighton: @voicesinexile @refugeeradio Refugee Week – 16 – 22 June 2025 (lots ofresources of how to take part on the event) Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 4: Dance at the Centre: Rethinking Dance for Health with Emily Davis In this episode, Emily shares her journey to working at the intersection of dance, health, and social science. She reflects on her recently completed PhD, undertaken jointly across the University of St Andrews, the Royal Conservatoireof Scotland, and Glasgow Caledonian University in partnership with Scottish Ballet. Her research focuses on dancing with multiple sclerosis and explores dance as both a tool for health promotion and a method of inquiry. Throughout the episode, we discuss how dance functions within health contexts, the importance of moving beyond disease-centred approaches, and innovative researchmethods such as movement-based interviews that centre the dancing body. Emily also shares insights into her current projects and the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in expanding how dance can contribute to healthand wellbeing. Biography Emily Davis is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Moving Bodies Lab at Durham University. Her research is focused on the intersection of dance, health, and social science, exploring the potential of dance as both a means of health promotion and a method of inquiry. Emily recently completed her PhD jointly across the University of St Andrews, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Glasgow Caledonian University, in partnership with Scottish Ballet, centred on dancing with multiple sclerosis. Alongside her research, Emily previously danced professionally with the Philadelphia Ballet and led dance health programmes across Philadelphia. Website and Social media channels https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/emily-m-davis/ www.linkedin.com/in/emily-davis-dancehealth https://medhumsplatform.org/labs/moving-bodies/ Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 3: You Can’t Balance AwayOppression: Dance, Power, Resistance with RoyonaMitra In this episode, Royona reflects on her relationship to dance, from her training in classicised and contemporary Indian dance in India to specialising in physical theatre in the UK. Drawing on her experiences as a teacher,researcher, and practitioner, she explores how movement practice has become a space to question and reflect on questions of power within dance. Royona discusses how moments of discomfort throughout her training and practice have shaped her intellectual inquiry, often becoming starting points for deeper questioning. She also reflects on how these experiences, alongside her academic writing, have helped unpack questions around caste politics, caste identity, and caste supremacy, and their intersections with gender, race and other socialpositions, including how practices such as contact improvisation shift when considered within the realities of caste and power. Themes of power, responsibility, and positionality emerge as she considers how dance and performance studies can both challenge and reproduce structuresof power. Looking ahead, Royona reflects on the need to move from reflection into action—galvanising practitioners to question and reshape the field. A thoughtful and thought-provoking conversation on dance, power, and resistance. Biography Royona Mitra is Professor of Dance andPerformance Cultures at Brunel University of London, UK. She is the author of Unmaking Contact: Choreographing South Asian Touch (2025, OUP) and Akram Khan: Dancing New Interculturalism (2015, Palgrave). Her first monograph was awarded the 2017 de la Torre Bueno FirstBook Award by the Dance Studies Association (DSA); her article "Unmaking Contact: Choreographic Touch at the Intersections of Race, Caste and Gender", was awarded DSA’s Gertrude Lippincott Award in 2022 for theBest English Language Journal Article; and her co-edited journal special issue titled "Outing Archives/Archives Outing" for Contemporary Theatre Review journal,alongside Profs Bryce Lease and Melissa Blanco Borelli, was awarded the Theatre and Performance Research Association's Edited Collection Prize in 2022. Herresearch examines systems of oppression in dance and performance cultures at the intersections of bodies, social power regimes, and choreography as powerand resistance. She contributes to the fields of diaspora and performance, South Asian dance and performance cultures, critical dance studies and performance studies. Royona was Co-Investigator on the AHRC funded #DanceResearchMatters “South Asian Dance Equity” project (2023-2025) alongside Drs Prarthana Purkayastha (PI, RHUL) and Anusha Kedhar (Co-I, UC Riverside). She was also Co-Investigator on the BritishAcademy Small Grant funded “Contemporary Dance and Whiteness” project (2019) alongside Drs Simon Ellis (Coventry) and Arabella Stanger (Sussex). She was co-Chair of TaPRA alongside Drs Broderick Chow (RCSSD) (2022-2025) and Rachel Hann (2022-2024). Contact details Website https://royonamitra.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/royona-mitra-ab359333b/ Other related links Unmaking Contact: Choreographing South Asian Touch (2025 ) https://global.oup.com/academic/product/unmaking-contact-9780197627778?cc=gb&lang=en&# Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 2: Dancer Hormone Health: Why It Matters with Nicky Keay In this episode, Nicky reflects on her experiences in sport and dance, and her passion for both hormone health and dancing. Framed primarily within a dance context, she shares how she applies her knowledge to support dancers in optimising both their health and performance. We explore the powerful role hormones play in maintaining stability, supporting overall wellbeing, and enhancing dance performance. Nicky offers insight into the challenges of artistic pursuits that strive for a particular aesthetic, and the delicate balancebetween these demands and the body’s natural capabilities and limitations. Nicky advocates for a personalised approach — listening carefully, considering the whole person, and recognising the risks of neglecting hormone health to ensure each dancer is supported in what is optimal for them. Packed with valuable insights, this conversation calls for a greater awareness of the power of hormones and encourages students and performers to become more body-aware and informed abouttheir hormonal health. She stresses the importance of early education, open communication, collaboration among support teams, and creating environments where listening and honest conversation are prioritised. The key takeaway:recognise the power of your hormones, appreciate them, and learn how to work with them to become a stronger, healthier, and more empowered dancer. Biography Nicky is a medical doctor specialising in dancer hormone health. Nicky is medical advisor to Scottish Ballet and a keen ballet dancer. Nicky’s clinical endocrine work provides personalised approach for hormone health, offering health advisory appointments, with a focus for those experiencing relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs) and women experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Based on her research into REDs, Nicky developed the free online personal availability questionnaire (PEAQ) https://mypeaq.streamlit.app/ Nicky offers talks on a variety of hormone topics at international conferences for organisations and groups. Nicky is the author of “Hormones, Health and Human Potential” and editor of “Myths of Menopause”. Her research into the impacts of lifestyle, nutrition and exercise on hormone networks has been published in peer-reviewed journals. Nicky holds the position of Honorary Clinical Lecturer in the Division of Medicine, University College London. Nicky studied medicine at Cambridge University. After gaining Membership of the Royal College of Physicians, London UK, Nicky worked as a Research Fellow at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, where she was part of the international medical team that developed an anti-doping test for growth hormone. Nicky is a member of the British Menopause Society (BMS) and has completed the BMS Principles and Practice of Menopause Care training programme and Management of Menopause Certification Website www.nickykeayfitness.com Social media channels @drnickykeay Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 10: Episode 1: From HEAD to TOE: The creative moving body in primary education with Sarah Hall In this episode, Sarah shares insights from her work as an artist-researcher and facilitator in community and educational settings. Centered on her expertise in creative practice through embodied knowledge, our conversation explores the aims of From HEAD to TOE, a project funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund. We discuss how Sarah’s work emphasises empowerment, inclusion, and finding voice, highlighting approaches used within the project, methods of engagement and ways of movingtogether to enjoy learning, embody knowledge, and support individual wellbeing. Sarah reflects on her experiences so far, emphasising the importance of placing care at the heart of practice and the value of a co-creative approach in drivingmeaningful change. Biography Sarah is an experienced facilitator working in community and education settings, specialising in creative practice through embodied and improvisational methodologies. Sarah is a Senior Lecturer and Practitioner Researcher at the University of Lancashire and also leads BlueMoose Dance , a community dance organisation based in the North of England, with a specialist focus on practice with, for and by young people and Artist and Teacher CPD. Through a person-centred approach, Sarah’s work surrounds notions of empowerment, inclusion and finding voice, working co-creatively with participants through play and improvisational approaches, with care and quality at the heart of the practice. From HEAD to TOE project biography We use the creative moving body and embodied pedagogies to support teachers in modelling and teaching metacognition and executive functioning skills. Working from care-filled practices, our CPD model and research inquiry supports Teachers and Pupils to connect to self, to better recognise their needs, to articulate their preferences and use creativity and movement to play, discover, connect and empower. This phase, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund, builds on our initial focus of the creative moving body in the retention and recall of key English and Maths knowledge, which ran from 2021 - 2023, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Arts Based Learning Fund. Website sarah@bluemoosedance.org.uk Social media channels @unilancashire @danceuclan @bluemoosedance Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 9: Episode 11: Curating ResDance: Gemma Harman on 100 Episodes of ResDance In this episode, Gemma reflects on her journey curating 100 episodes of the ResDance™podcast alongside her friend and colleague, Elsa Urmston. Situating the conversation within Gemma’s wider practice as an educator and researcher, they discuss the founding of ResDance, the key themes that have emerged from contributors to date, and the processesinvolved in recording the podcast. They explore the role of ResDance in celebrating and amplifying individual artists’ voices, while also engaging listeners with emergent ideas and practices central to dance research. Through the conversation, they consider the podcast as a site of practice, reflectingon its value in articulating how dance is situated within wider research contexts, while foregrounding the ongoing contribution ResDance makes to the broader dance field. Biography Dr Gemma Harman is an Independent Dance Educator,Researcher and Podcaster. She originally trained as a dancer before specialising in areas of dance, music and dance medicine and science. Gemma has a BA (Hons) in Performing Arts (majoring in Dance) from Middlesex Universityand an MSc Dance Science and PhD Dance and Music Science from Trinity Laban (supported by the Emerton Christie Charity). She has extensive lecturing experience as a teacher, lecturer and researcher, delivering a range of specialisms, where she continues to work across vocational and Higher Education settings as a researcher and lecturer. Until recently (January 2026), Gemma was a Senior Lecturer in Dance and Dance Science, BSc Programme Leader and MA ProgrammeCo-ordinator at the University of Chichester. Gemma won the One Dance UK ‘Research In Dance Award’ in 2025 for her work with ResDance™. Website and Social media channels @resdancepodcast Other relevant links https://www.routledge.com/Practitioner-Perspectives-on-Dance-Research/Harman/p/book/9781032566795 https://www.chi.ac.uk/news/award-winning-gemma-celebrates-one-dance-uk-win/ Please share this episode with students,educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 9: Episode 10: The mental side of injury with Carl Bescoby In this episode, Carl shares insights from his work as a psychologist, practitioner, educator, and researcher. Drawing on his interest in the intersection of injury, pain, recovery, and performance, the conversation explores the psychological dimensions of injury and rehabilitation. Through exploringthe psychosocial models of injury and the role stress plays in injury occurrence, we discuss the importance of supporting individuals through the emotional experiences that accompany injury. We explore barriers to implementing psychological support across different contexts, common misunderstandings around emotional responses to injury, and the challenges of translating psychological language and concepts for diversepopulations. Carl also highlights the need for greater attention to psychological care during rehabilitation, which is often overshadowed by an emphasis solely on physical recovery. Through his work, Carl is committed to shaping a culture of greater understanding and change. He shares insights into his workshops, the development of evidence-based resources, and the delivery of individually tailored coaching. A key takeaway from the episode is that injury—or anunintended pause—can become an opportunity for personal growth, enabling a more holistic approach to recovery. Biography Dr Carl Bescoby is an injury psychologist working at the intersection of injury, health, wellbeing, and performance. Carl works with injured athletes & performers through one-to-one consultancy and provides group workshops/psychoeducation to help cultivate a greater awareness of the psychosocial components of injury and rehabilitation to enable positive adjustment and growth throughout recovery and return to activity. Carl also delivers training to support healthcare professionals, clinicians, and physiotherapists with evidence-based psychological practice to support the mental health and wellbeing needs of service users. https://www.theinjurypsychologist.com/about Contact details Email: carl@theinjurypsychologist.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinjurypsychologist/?hl=en Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 9: Episode 9: Breaking Barriers: Racial Equity in Dance with Imogen Aujla and Stacey Green In this second episode with ResDance, Stacey and Imogen explore their thinking around racial equity in dance. Drawing on the work of the TIRED movement and their three-year RED Research Project into representation in dance training and education, they share key findings and discuss the development of an evidence-informed framework for institutions. The conversation centres on the barriers faced by those from the global majority in accessing training and education, the role of research in driving meaningful change, and the need for greater transparency, leadership, and collective responsibility across the sector. Stacey and Imogen reflect on positive institutional shifts emerging through the RED project; the wider work of TIRED; celebrate the ongoing impact of TIRED Ambassadors and young people paving the way for change and share recent milestones — including the launch of the TIRED Connect platform and two academic publications. This episode is one of hope, responsibility, and a shared commitment to collective change. Biography: Imogen Aujla Imogen is a dance psychology specialist from Dance in Mind. Her work covers research, lecturing, resource development, and psychological coaching. She originally trained as a dancer before specialising in dance science and later dance psychology. She has a PhD in dance psychology and a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Prior to going freelance, Imogen was a Senior Lecturer in Dance and Course Coordinator of the MSc Dance Science at the University of Bedfordshire. As well as her project-based freelance work, she is a regular guest tutor on the MAS Dance Science at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and is a peer tutor for the mental health charity Mind. Imogen is passionate about research that contributes to social justice and that has practical impact. www.danceinmind.org Contact details: Facebook: @danceinmindUK Instagram: @dance_in_mind_UK Website: www.danceinmind.org Published sources: https://www.danceinmind.org/post/let-s-talk-about-representation-in-dance https://www.tiredmovement.com/research-project/ https://www.tiredmovement.com/imogen-aujla/ Biography: Stacey Green Stacey Green is the co-founder of both the TIRED Movement (Trying to Improve Racial Equality in Dance) and the UK’s new inclusive dance brand, Shades Dancewear. She is also the principal of a well-established dance school with over 30yrs teaching experience. She currently delivers talks all over the UK, raising awareness about the importance of racial representation in dance education. Stacey is the brainchild of the RED (Representation and Equity in Dance) research project, which has developed a framework that teachers, schools, and colleges can use to enable them to become diverse and inclusive. Shades Dancewear is the first UK dance brand to offer four shades in 5 products in all children’s and adult sizes. Shades are now selling their products to a number of West End shows including MJ Musical, Starlight Express and Hamilton the Musical. Using their unique new face recognition app “Shadify”, dancers can now find the perfect shade to match their skin tone before they buy, allowing dancers to embrace their ethnicity, and retain their identity. Contact details: info@tiredmovement.com @movementtired on Instagram TIRED Movement on Facebook www.tiredmovement.com https://tiredconnect.com/ Other social media handles: info@shades-dancewear.com @shadesdancewear on Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, Pinterest www.shades-dancewear.com Other related links: Two published papers from the RED project: https://accscience.com/journal/AC/3/1/10.36922/ac.3165 https://accscience.com/journal/AC/articles/online_first/4709 Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 9: Episode 8: The menstrual cycle in pedagogical contexts: a shared responsibility towards sustainable body literacy and agency with Clarisse Roud In this episode, Clarisse shares insights into her background and work as a movement artist, educator, and researcher, focusing on female-related challenges within pedagogical contexts. Through her teaching practices, we explore how critical pedagogy shapes her work and supports individuals in finding their voice and agency. Drawing on her research interests, Clarisse discusses her MA dissertation and the need for greater acknowledgment of menstrual cycle symptoms, particularly in relation to sustaining training and overall wellbeing. She advocates for holistic, responsive approaches that honour individual needs and promote self-understanding, positioning the studio as a progressive space that actively supports the female student. Biography Clarisse Roud is a Swiss-born, London-based movement artist and educator working internationally. She holds apostgraduate qualification in Dance Education from London Studio Centre, graduating with distinction, and her work focuses on addressing female-related challenges within the pedagogical context. With a steadfast commitment to supporting pre-vocational dancers in their artistic journeys, Clarisse is dedicated to evolving contemporary dance education in ways that empower dancers to develop both technical proficiency and a deeply authentic personal voice. Her approach is grounded in humanistic, critical, activist, and feminist pedagogical principles, fostering environments in which dancers grow into articulate and confident movers—aware of their strengths, responsive to their sensations, and capable of making artistic choices with intention and clarity. Clarisse strongly advocates for consent-based, holistic approaches that honour and respond to individual needs. Her pioneering research, co-authored with Dr Nicky Keay and Kim Hutt, into menstrual cycle-aware dance practices was presented at the prestigious 35th IADMS Annual Conference, with publication forthcoming. Contact details Website https://www.clarisseroud.com Emails: contact@clarisseroud.com Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 9: Episode 7: Gemma Harman in Conversation with Kate Prince (Recorded Live at The Nest, Chichester Festival Theatre) In this episode, Kate reflects on her journey through dance, theatre, film, and music, sharing how her early dream of becoming a choreographer shaped her career. We talk about the founding of ZooNation, her mission to championartists, and the company’s role in bringing hip hop to the main stage while challenging perceptions of the art form. Kate discusses her choreographic process, the role of storytelling in her work, and how hip hop helps her address real-world themes. We also explore the importance of nurturing young talent, and the need for greater visibility and opportunities for older practitioners in dance. Throughout the conversation, Kate speaks about the value of embracing uncertainty, being brave, learning from mistakes, and surrounding yourself with supportive, like-minded people. Her message is uplifting and clear: keep dancing and keep finding joy—however it evolves throughout your life. Biography Kate’s work with ZooNation includes creating ground-breaking productionssuch as Into the Hoods (Novello Theatre,West End), Some Like it Hip Hop (Peacock Theatre & UK Tour), Groove on Down the Road (Southbank Centre), The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (Royal Opera House & The Roundhouse), Message in a Bottle (Peacock Theatre; UK, European, Australian & North American Tour), and SYLVIA (Old VicTheatre). The company has also delivered special performances for the 2012 London Olympics IOC Opening Ceremony, the 2011 and 2023 Laurence Olivier Awards, the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Handover Ceremonies, and Nelson Mandela’s 90th-birthday celebrations in Hyde Park. Beyond ZooNation, Kate’s theatre credits include Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Sheffield, West End & UK Tour), Bacchae (National Theatre), Dream Ballets (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Ballyturk (National Theatre), Shoes (Sadler’s Wells), I Can’t Sing: The X-Factor Musical (Palladium), and It’s a Mad World My Masters (RSC). Her film work includes choreography for Everybody’sTalking About Jamie (Warp, Film4, New Regency & Amazon), Message in a Bottle (PBS America), StreetDance 3D (BBC Films & Vertigo), as well as The Holloway Launderette , whichshe wrote and directed for BAFTA/Channel 4. For television, her credits include Strictly Come Dancing , So You Think You Can Dance , The Royal Variety Show , Top of the Pops , Ant &Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway , CD:UK , Blue Peter , Sport Relief , The Album Chart Show , and Popworld . Kate’s personal achievements include an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Winchester, an MA from the University of Edinburgh, and an MBE (2019) for services to dance. In 2020, Kate was the subject of the BBC’s Imagine documentary series, Kate Prince: Every Move She Makes , presentedby Alan Yentob. She has been nominated for five Olivier Awards, a South Bank Sky Arts Award, a WhatsOnStage Award, and two Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards. In 2024, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company won the Critics’ CircleNational Dance Award for Best Midscale Company. Website and Social media channels https://zoonation.co.uk/ @zoonationuk Linktr.ee/ZooNews Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
ResDance Series 9: Episode 6: Light That Moves: Lighting as a Choreographic Tool with Natalie Rowland In this episode, Natalie shares insights into her background and experiences as a lighting designer, aerialist, and artist-practitioner. Our conversation centres on her work as an interdisciplinary practitioner, exploring her practices across lighting, scenography, moved based practices. Natalie discusses her understanding of light as a moving entity that interacts with bodies, and space and reflects on the wider role of lighting within performative work. Her love of storytelling runs throughout the conversation, particularly in relation to her aerial practice and PhD research, where through the use of a choreographic approach she develops a series of approaches and lighting scores. She also emphasises the importance of mess, play, and curiosity in her practice, alongside a desire to challenge conventional ways of working. Throughout, Natalie reflects on her comfort in uncertainty and her embodied knowledge of being “in the air.” Biography Dr Natalie Rowland is based at the University of Chichester lecturing in scenography, choreographing with technology and aerial dance. Her research interest is located in the intersection and discussions between the scenographic and the choreographic, drawing on her practice both as a lighting designer and an aerial artist. Staff Profile: https://www.chi.ac.uk/people/natalie-rowland/ Contact details: Email: N.Rowland@chi.ac.uk. Instagram: @talirowland @knotted_aerial Other related links: Seeing Anew: the role of lighting in creation of place in site-generic/specific performance: https://eprints.chi.ac.uk/id/eprint/5554/ Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.
