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Staff details Mrs Ruth Way
Role Subject Leader, Theatre & Performance Programme Leader BA Dance Theatre and MRes Dance Qualifications & background I studied at the London School of Contemporary Dance in Performance and Choreography 1976-1979 and in my final year was recommended to teach for the school by Jane Dudley, head of technical studies. I was invited to join Dublin Contemporary Dance Theatre and initially led both the company and evening school in all aspects of their work, in training , performance and choreography. I was awarded an Irish Arts Council grant to undertake further dance study in New York and studied intensively with Merce Cunningham and dancers from the Murray Louis/ Alwin Nikolais School and voice with Meredith Monk’s company, The House from 1983-86 Throughout my career I have worked extensively in the fields of community dance, dance in education, dance performance and choreography. I have toured internationally with Earthfall Dance ( Wales ) , throughout Europe and the States and teaching experience includes major residencies in Ireland , advanced contemporary dance technique at Laban, London and guest teaching for Cygnet Training Theatre, Exeter . I have been a company member of Lusty Juventus physical theatre working with Christine Roberts (playwright) and Roberta Mock (scenographer/director) since 1996 , as their choreographer and one of the main performers. Lusty Juventus have presented their practice as research through performative papers, articles and performances internationally. I am currently Head of Theatre and Performance and programme leader for Masters by Research (Dance) and BA (Hons) Dance Theatre . I play an active role in the region’s dance community and act regularly as a mentor for emerging dancers and choreographers. I am a steering board member for Plymouth Dance and an external assessor and dance consultant for Cygnet Training Theatre. Professional membership Roles on external bodies Member of steering board for Plymouth Dance , Devon
External Assessor and dance consultant for Cygnet Training Theatre, Exeter, Devon
UK board representative for Eastwest Somatics USA Teaching interests Body in performance European Dance Theatre practice Practice as research Performer training and skills, active breath and authentic movement Dance as a cultural discourse Staff serving as external examiners
Research interests Dance/Physical Theatre, its dramaturgy and choreographic processes.
Application of new digital technological tools in the context of making dance for film and specifically in collaboration with a visual/digital artist.
Somatic movement practice and its understanding of the body as both natural and cultural.
Performer training and artistic development, focusing on the training and education of dancers who are becoming practical researchers able to integrate corporeal and verbal knowledge. UoP Research group membership Centre for Humanities, Music and Performing Arts Research (HuMPA)Theatre, Dance and Performing Arts Other research Performance Practice as Research: 'M(other)2: Research as Practice', a performative presentation with Christine Roberts and Roberta Mock. Performance as Research Working Party, International Federation of Theatre Research conference, St Petersburg, Russia; 2004. 'Enclave', a digital dance film made with artist Russell Frampton; 2003. Screenings: Newlyn Art gallery (2003), Penzance Live Art Symposium (2003), Dance on Camera Festival 2004 at Jerome Robbins Dance Division, Lincoln Centre Library (New York), Barbican Theatre Dance Platform (Plymouth 2004). Selected for Dance South West showreel of dance films; Regional, national and international screenings, Jan 2005 - July 2006. These include: IFFR Rotterdam; University of Bath; The Guildhall, Gloucester; Dartington Arts; Cube Microplex, Bristol; Exeter Phoenix; Lighthouse Dorset; Truro College, Cornwall, Swindon Town Hall studios (2004); Antistatic Co-creator & Performer. 'M(other)1' for Lusty Juventus theatre company. Performed at the Argos Theatre in Athens, Greece, as part of Transformation of Movements Programme; funded by European Commission Culture 2000 Programme; 2002. Choreographer. 'Beauty and the Beast', dir. Alistair Ganley; Cygnet New Theatre (Exeter); reviewed in The Stage; 16 public performances, 2000. Choreographer & Performer. 'Us' by Karen Malpede for Lusty Juventus theatre company. European premiere. Performed at Exeter Phoenix; financially supported by Exeter Arts Council; 1999. Choreographer & Performer. 'Shading the Crime' for Lusty Juventus theatre company. 16 performances in 4 venues, Exeter and London; 1998. Choreographer & Performer. 'Ceremonial Kisses' for Lusty Juventus theatre company; 2 tours between September 1996 - September 1997; approximately 30 performances at 6 venues throughout UK; reviewed in The Stage. Research degrees awarded to supervised students Grants & contracts Major Arts Council of England Award, Exeter Arts Council, and Faculty of Arts, University of Plymouth. Creative practice & artistic projects The Maternal Cloister. Performer in rehearsed reading by Lusty Juventus theatre company at 'Politics and Performance in Latin America Conference', Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2000. The Dolphin Opera. Associate Choreographer of large-scale community project for English National Opera’s Baylis Programme, Plymouth; 1994. Publications
Chapter :
Utah Sunshine :
Authenticity and perception in the making of Utah Sunshine: a dance theatre/arts film in
Sensualities/Textualities & Technologies: Writings of the Body in 21st Century Performance
with Palgrave Macmillan to be published early in 2009 Susan Broadhurst and Jo Machon ( eds)
INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL,GDANSK CORPORATION OF DANCE FESTIVAL 2008, Venue: The Cultural Centre, Klub ZAK ul. Grunwaldzka 195/197, 80-266 Gdansk, Dates, times and titles of projections: 29.08.2008, 21.15 pm - Enclave and Utah Sunshine
Screening of Utah Sunshine May 2008 : Eastwest Somatic Movement Conference , Utah , USA Article: Layering authenticity and the feeling body in Utah Sunshine , a dance theatre / arts film. Ruth Way in : On the silk route of dance, volume 3 of the Human Body a Universal Sign, Wydawnictwo Ignatianum, 2009, edited by Wiesna Mond-Kozłowska Screening : Utah Sunshine : On the silk route of dance Theatre and Dance Festival , Biuro Festiwalowe III Festiwalu Anthropologi Tanca, Krakow 9-15 March 2008 Screening of Utah Sunshine
Journal Article: ‘Enclave – a digital dance and visual arts film’, Terpsichore, January, 2003. Reports & invited lectures ‘My Body Remembers’, Paper and film screening, PARIP conference, Bristol University, 2003. Published online: http://www.bris.ac.uk/parip/way.htm Invited Speaker, ‘Alternative Methods on Stage and Use of Multimedia’ conference, Athens, Greece, 2002. ‘Body/ Text/ Space: Developing Models for the Integration of Theory and practice’, National Dance Teachers Association conference, Birmingham, 2001; paper reviewed in Dance Matters. Conferences organised Additional information Links |
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