This presentation illustrates the key role of BA Dance students in the development of the Dance Technique Programme, and how a developing student and staff partnership is impacting on teaching and learning. It will consider how practice-based research has informed curriculum development, enabling the delivery of dance specific fitness training to first year students with a view to developing the athletic artist.
The presentation will examine the central role of student health and wellbeing as the driving force behind the initiation of this approach to Dance in Higher Education. Drawing on research in the field of Dance Science, qualitative and quantitative methodologies have been used in the monitoring and development of the programme. It will consider examples of how this research partnership is empowering and engaging students as they work to develop their dance skills and the impact it is having on my own teaching practice.
Finally it will consider how this partnership is continuing to evolve through a co-researching approach into the what, why and how of university dance training, with a focus on the potential to optimise student learning and performance, training fitter, healthier and better informed dance practitioners for the future.