University of Derby/East Midlands Dance Artists' Network Clowndance Intensive 2024
In Spring 2024, I had planned to run a second full iteration of the Clowndance syllabus for dance students, following on from the intensive at Rambert School in autumn 23. I initially offered the course to BA and MA dance students at DMU over a reading week, but unfortunately, as with my very first introductory workshop, none of the students signed up. I can only assume that either my offer didn’t appeal to this cohort of students, or that there isn’t a culture among them of signing up for additional workshops outside of the timetable.
I got in touch instead with Alice Marshall and Liz Foster at the University of Derby, for whom I ran an early Clowndance workshop in 2022, and they very kindly invited me back in to do two longer sessions with the MA in dance and choreography students. Their course numbers are very low at present (although it is an excellent course- info here) so all the studio sessions are also open to members of the East Midlands Dance Artists’ Network. This proved an unexpected bonus, as I was joined in the studio by four women of a range of ages from twenties to fifties, two of whom are dancers and two of whom are clowns. This opened up some fascinating multi-perspective conversations and realisations as we played together at the intersection of the two forms.
As this work was done in an educational context, I am using pseudonyms for all participants in this write-up, students and practitioners alike. Anemone, Aster, Kalanchoe and Iberis; you know who you are, and it was my absolute pleasure and delight to share space with you. Thank you all.
The sessions ran for four hours each, with the two days themed around playing together and playing with the audience respectively. I have trialled and developed all the material in previous workshops and intensives, so this marked the start of the final stage of my PhD practice; delivering the syllabus.
I got in touch instead with Alice Marshall and Liz Foster at the University of Derby, for whom I ran an early Clowndance workshop in 2022, and they very kindly invited me back in to do two longer sessions with the MA in dance and choreography students. Their course numbers are very low at present (although it is an excellent course- info here) so all the studio sessions are also open to members of the East Midlands Dance Artists’ Network. This proved an unexpected bonus, as I was joined in the studio by four women of a range of ages from twenties to fifties, two of whom are dancers and two of whom are clowns. This opened up some fascinating multi-perspective conversations and realisations as we played together at the intersection of the two forms.
As this work was done in an educational context, I am using pseudonyms for all participants in this write-up, students and practitioners alike. Anemone, Aster, Kalanchoe and Iberis; you know who you are, and it was my absolute pleasure and delight to share space with you. Thank you all.
The sessions ran for four hours each, with the two days themed around playing together and playing with the audience respectively. I have trialled and developed all the material in previous workshops and intensives, so this marked the start of the final stage of my PhD practice; delivering the syllabus.
Déda, with Zöe Power's 2021 mural on the side of the building
Déda/Derby Dance Centre 1991-2024
The intensive took place at Déda, Derby’s dedicated dance venue, a space with a rich history which means a lot to me professionally and personally. My company WinterWalker was company in residence there very early in our existence, with two of our shows rehearsing and opening there, my partner began his career as a dance accompanist at Déda in the 90s, and our young son has recently discovered the joy of contemporary dance at Déda Academy classes.
As I write this report in August 2024, the organisation has just gone into involuntary administration, and the future of the building is uncertain. Like many others in Derby and further afield, I feel deeply saddened by this loss, and angry that the cultural and creative lives of our community have been made so much poorer by more than a decade of austerity eating away at the ecosystem that supports them.
Click on a day to read...
The intensive took place at Déda, Derby’s dedicated dance venue, a space with a rich history which means a lot to me professionally and personally. My company WinterWalker was company in residence there very early in our existence, with two of our shows rehearsing and opening there, my partner began his career as a dance accompanist at Déda in the 90s, and our young son has recently discovered the joy of contemporary dance at Déda Academy classes.
As I write this report in August 2024, the organisation has just gone into involuntary administration, and the future of the building is uncertain. Like many others in Derby and further afield, I feel deeply saddened by this loss, and angry that the cultural and creative lives of our community have been made so much poorer by more than a decade of austerity eating away at the ecosystem that supports them.
Click on a day to read...
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Ethical Research Statement
This practical research was carried out with ethical approval from the Doctoral College at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. Participants have all given explicit consent for their pseudonyms, words, and images in the form of photography and video to be acknowledged in the research write-up and on this research website.