Dance Studies

Project

This research aims to examine diverse dance education practices and theory in formal and informal contexts. A specific focus will be in relation to how dance pedagogies attend to UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals. Skills required: Dance education experience. This project can accept up to three student participants.

Project

This research will gather stories of indigenous contemporary dance in Aotearoa and the Pacific. Using Kaupapa Māori and/or Oceanic research methodologies the project will archive cultural taonga (treasures) and collate, examine, and re-tell oral histories of Māori and Pacific contemporary dance pioneers, practitioners and the communities for which they belong. Hui, wānanga, talanoa, and interviews will be utilised. The project will offer significant knowledge for the further articulation and reconceptualisation of Indigenous performing arts in Aotearoa and the Pacific. Outputs from this project will include co-authored writing and publications.

This research will restore and re-tell important stories of Māori and Pacific contemporary dance.

Activities to meet the research objectives include:
1. Document Māori and Pacific contemporary dance stories focal to the understanding of dance in Aotearoa and wider Oceania.
2. Examine and collate oral histories associated to rediscover knowledge of Māori and Pacific contemporary dance.
3. Explore distinct histories of Indigenous contemporary dance in Aotearoa and Pacific for the further development of theory, pedagogy, and methodology.
4. Re-conceptualise Māori and Pacific contemporary dance discourse through the collation of data as the basis for a future book, website, film documentary and other journal publications and resources.

Project

The dance studio context encompasses a multitude of complex relationships and modes of thinking and doing. Many factors can influence experiences of community, citizenship, and identity in dance-making and learning. This project can accept up to three student participants.

Project

This project explores choreographic, performance and creative practice. Choreographic exploration, tasking, analysis, discussion, and expanded creative methodologies will be utilised. This project is ideal for students coming from a dance undergraduate degree who are curious about developing a rigorous practice, embracing creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, as well as exploring new avenues for dance-making and creative practice.

Project (up to three students)

This project examines how dance approaches can intersect with digital interfaces to facilitate aspects of wellness (physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, environmental, and so on).

Requirements: Applicants should be coming from a dance-related undergraduate degree, and will be required to conduct research including the appropriate research design, data collection, analysis/interpretation, and production of a final product (whether it be a practice-based artefact or written document). This project can accept up to three student participants.

Supervisor

Assoc. Prof. Alys Longley

Discipline

Dance Studies

Project code: CAI008

Project (up to three students)

How do we develop methods of orientation and expansion in artistic research? This project involves developing practices of artistic research, and exploring how ideas can unfold, especially when considering expanded approaches to improvisation, choreography, site-based dance, interdisciplinary practice, documentation, and experimental, reflective and critical writing. This project can accept up to three student participants. Students who are available in December 2022 could work with Dr Longley on the Australasian Drama Studies conference (based at University of Auckland), where there will be opportunities to explore creative-critical research with artists and scholars from across Aotearoa and Australia.

Project

A choreographic and/or Performance project in a range of disciplinary approaches exploring cultural and political perspectives. The project is open to mātauranga Māori and Pasific/Pasifika approaches but not limited to this.

Project (up to three students)

This project explores how meanings, functions and values of dance are poised to shift within an unpredictable future.

Requirements: Applicants should be coming from a dance-related undergraduate degree, and will be required to engage in field work, gathering, interpreting and presenting understandings of dance, and exploring new trends for dance knowledge in creative, educational and social contexts.