Coming from a practice based background, I bring my professional experience as a movement based specialist, working in theatre, opera and performance art for over 20 years.

Working as a Director, Performer and Choreographer, I have worked with many companies including Bobby Baker Daily Life limited, English touring Opera, Plain Clothes, Gloria, Grange opera, Creative partnerships and Actors Touring company. 

My industry based expertise in small-mid scale touring and community performance work offers students access to industry based networks, knowledge and skills particularly, professional expectations; professional experience in placement settings and movement based training and practice. I have extensive experience in applied theatre; creating new performance in educational and community settings with specialist knowledge in movement based performance, inclusivity and disability. I am currently co- director of StevensonThompson, a community based performance company which offers opportunities to students to be involved in company projects and performances

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Currently I convene and teach three practice based modules:

Explorations in theatre practice, a stage 2 module which explores ways and starting points into making performance work, process based skills, and ensemble practice, with an emphasis on the creative application of  technical skills.

Applied theatre, a stage 3 module, which introduces students to the historical context of applied theatre, workshop skills, facilitation techniques, project planning and management in an educational setting. Students gain hands on experience of what it means to organise a workshop programme from conception to completion in a ‘real’ educational context. 

Applied performance: stage 4 Mdrama pre professional research and practice. This year long course of study equips students to develop their practice and knowledge of applied performance at a pre-professional level. Students are taught how to set themselves up as independent companies and run performance projects in varying community settings. The course involves a placement with a professional theatre company. The latter plus skills based training, residencies with professional companies and running outreach projects at organisations outside the confines of the department, equips students with real skills and practice to ensure they are ready to enter a professional context following graduation.

The emphasis of my teaching is ‘hands on learning’; understanding theory through exploration. My teaching ensures that students are trained in and understand professional expectations and discipline, while providing opportunities to network and make connections in industry, building knowledge of opportunities in performance related professions. The above is linked directly to my continuing practice in professional and community based performance work, and informed by my research.

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My teaching is currently informed by research into dementia, and disabilities, as well as the possibilities of dance and movement based techniques such as Feldenkrais and Alexander, married with physical theatre and sign language, to facilitate the telling of individual stories and experiences in a performance context. A recent ballroom based project funded by the Creative campus initiative, with women in their 70’s-80 has led to StevensonThomson establishing a performance-based company, Making the Move. In addition, a project funded by The Ideas Factory, University of Kent, is commissioning the company to explore collaborations between performance and medicine in relation to rehabilitation of fall–victims, as well as developing a training DVD for carers of older people.  

• Making the Move: Establishment of East Kent’s first performance company for people who are 50 plus by StevensonThomson
• Sit Down Durational Chit Chat: Bobby Baker Daily Life Ltd
• Making the Move DVD :StevensonThompson, Ideas factory, University of Kent

Recent Performance Projects:

• Moving memory: Creative Campus, StevensonThomson
• Peas for peace: Wellcome Trust, Daily Life Ltd
• Dainty Feeding: Victoria and Albert Museum & Home Gallery
• First Feat: Toynbee Studios, Daily Life Ltd
• Creative Learning and teaching projects: Creative partnerships
• Magic Flute, Macbeth & Fidelio: English Touring Opera
• La Calisto: Guildhall School of Music and Drama
• Venus and Adonis: Actors Touring Company & The Hairy Mary’s
• Ballroominating: Scratch Arts, University of Kent

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