Practice as Research

The Dance Department at the University of Chichester has a strong reputation for its focus on Practice as Research in Dance and Performance (PaR). Several members of staff, Sarah Rubidge www.sensedigital.co.uk Marisa Zanotti, Virginia Farman www.bicycleballet.i12.com Andrea Davidson http://a.davidson.free.fr and Yael Flexer www.bedlamdance.com are active practitioner-researchers, many involved in interdisciplinary research and/or the dialogue between performance and technology.

Our MA programme gives students the opportunity to investigate their practice in depth as performers, makers or independent researchers. The principle that creative practice can be as rigorous a mode of researching certain research concerns as more conventional research methodologies underpins our approach to PaR. Creative practice generates comprehensive critical reflection and/or theoretical investigation to illuminate the more subtle details of the research concerns revealed through the practice.

We have a growing community of PaR PhD students at University of Chichester, many of whom are professional artists such as Nic Sandiland www.nicsandiland.com Jane Turner www.janeturner.net Lisa Alexander investigating different issues through their work. These include: the generation of choreography from the behaviour of spectator/participants and virtual performers; the use of the scientific notion of emergence in improvised dance performances; and the poetics of site-generated artistic practice grounded in sensory knowledge.

PaR students at University of Chichester are supported by practitioner-researchers and dance scholars, studio and theatre space (with technicians and technical equipment), access to a well-equipped Media Centre and an extensive library of books, videos and DVDs. They may have access to research initiatives at other arts venues and universities.

The MA Performance Dance is also part of the lively research culture within the Faculty of Business, Arts and Humanities' Arts Research Cluster whose activities include regular research presentations, performances, installations and exhibitions by staff, research students and visiting artists as well as a weekly Contemporary Critical Theory Reading Group.

For the current programme, please visit the website:
artsresearch@chi.ac.uk