Institute of Dance, Drama and Performance Studies postgraduate and research study options
This course aims to foster creative and performance skills, theoretical knowledge and research skills appropriate to contemporary performance practices. It is designed for those wishing to develop themselves as independent artists, practitioner-researchers, scholarly researchers and reflective practitioners. It is also suitable for professional artists and educators who wish to reinvigorate their practices and deepen their engagement in performance making.
For further information about the Performance Practice MA please contact Dr Kelly Jordan or Dr Harriet Curtis.
Choreography MA
MA Choreography was developed with our industry partner, FABRIC, to give students a space to develop their own creative practice whilst developing a strong understanding of and links into the profession and academia.
At the heart of its design, both in terms of module content and assessment modes, is the student’s own practice. It builds on the student’s current knowledge and experience and provides new opportunities and challenges in order to develop postgraduates who can independently and confidently pursue their own concerns and interests in professional and/or academic research contexts.
It recognises the value of a wide range of artistic and scholarly perspectives from dance, choreography and other germane disciplines such as creative writing, visual and digital arts.
PhD research
Our lively and very supportive postgraduate community can develop their work in our state of the art studio facilities, in our library and via extensive online library facilities, and through postgraduate research areas. They can hone their skills through dedicated strands of practice-based, creative arts and faculty doctoral training. They can take full advantage of regular opportunities to share their work via the institute's research symposia and contribute towards the coordination of our annual interdisciplinary Borderlines conference, including the conference's postgraduate panel. There are frequently opportunities for exciting involvement and self-development in staff research and impact projects. This year our PhD students have produced significant publications and public performances, and have self-programmed two international interdisciplinary postgraduate conferences.
For information regarding postgraduate research contact Dr Elinor Parsons, Institute Head of Research Students, or Dr Alissa Clarke, Faculty Head of Research Students
Our current PhD students:
Jason Benson - PhD in Contemporary Performance Practices, PhD in Volcano’s Theatre of Shudder: An Aesthetic Analysis
Amy Da Costa - PhD in Drama, An investigation of how existing and emergent acting methodologies may be used to create new knowledge and practice, informed by and in response to Dissociative Identity Disorder
Marguerite Galizia - PhD in Dance (awarded ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Graduate Bursary), Multiplying the Self: technology and solo choreographic practice
Rosie Garton – PhD in Performance Studies, The Political Performance of Cycling: The Female, the Bicycle and the Gendered Urban Space
Angharad Harrop - PhD in Dance, Embodiment and Performance: The use of folk and cultural dance in choreographic practice and performance
Jane Hearst - PhD in Narrative Psychology (awarded ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ High Flyers Scholarship), Building and Measuring Value in Film-for-Wellbeing Services: A Systematic Review of Existing Research, Creation of An Evaluative Framework & Development of An Exemplar Method of Delivery
Khairul Kamsani, PhD in Performance Practice (awarded ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Graduate Full Bursary), Cybernetic Actions: harnessing digital reality technologies towards developing actor training approaches
Alexander Millington - PhD in Drama, An Examination of the Representation of Physical Acts of Intimacy and Sexual Behaviour in Contemporary British Theatre from 2001 to 2019.
Jessica Murray - PhD in Dance (awarded AHRC-funded Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership) Facilitating collective dramaturgy in dance and music collaborative improvisation from the perspective of Rhythm Tap practice
Iyobosa Olaye - PhD in Drama, Thematic Concerns of Post-Colonial Playwrights in Nigeria: A Study of the Last Two Decades in Nigerian Drama (1995-2015)
Lucy Ovenall - PhD in Drama (awarded ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ High Flyers Scholarship), Can we play now?: Reapplying historical feminist discourse to the hierarchical and patriarchal structures of contemporary British theatre practices.
Fernanda Prata - PhD in Performance Practice (awarded ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Graduate Full Bursary), The Dancer Training Within an Integrative Approach: A Transpractice Methodology Towards the UK Dance Conservatoire.
Francesco Sani - PhD in Theatre Practice (awarded ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Graduate Full Bursary), Staging the Neoliberal Condition: Historicising Neoliberalism through Theatrical Performance to Reimagine 21st Century Citizenship
Satkirti Sinha - PhD in Performance, Bidesiya: A Crossdress Dance of Untouchables from Bihar, India
- PhD in Choreography (awarded AHRC-funded Midlands3Cities Doctoral Training Partnership), No-How Generator. See the news piece on Mathias 'PhD student to explore what makes live performances special'
Kerryn Wise - PhD in Drama, Dance, Technology (awarded AHRC-funded Midlands3Cities Doctoral Training Partnership), Digital Forms and Live Bodies: An Exploration of 360 Video Technology in Live Immersive Performance Practices
Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership
A number of our students are in receipt of Midlands4Cities bursaries. The AHRC-funded Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (M4C) brings together eight leading universities across the Midlands to support the professional and personal development of the next generation of arts and humanities doctoral researchers. Through the partnership we aim to deliver excellence in all aspects of research supervision and training. We will assist you in acquiring the best supervision for your field of research, and you will have access to a wide range of facilities and support networks.
Photograph of Sophie Swoffer (top right) by David Wilson Clarke.