Exploring experiences of dance in the Lewisham Borough.

This project is large piece of research in which researchers from Back on the Map project will speak with the community about their experiences of dance. 

The research aims to create a space to platform the voice of the community and highlight the importance of human experience as a key historical source. The research will gather the life stories of people living in Lewisham (in relation to dance) and explore these stories at a dance history festival taking place in 2023.

The festival will act as a continued research activity where festival goers will be asked about what, and how, they most enjoyed learning.

The research findings (1) will create a living archive that celebrates and documents the local communities dance stories; and (2) will hereness the voice of the community to build an understanding of local people's desires for dance learning, and how local higher educational institutions can learn and respond to this. 

This research responds to the persistent challenges for dance organisations to include students from the Global Majority in arts activities. This research project hopes to actively contribute to changes being made in the dance learning sector, and to better dance education experiences for future students. 

This project is collaborative and is supported by several key local arts establishments such as Irie! dance Theatre and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.  

Emma Greene

Sunniva Moen Rørvik 

About Emma

Emma Greene is the co-founder of Back on the Map project. She is a dancer, choreographer and 2021 graduate from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Emma is the lead researcher for this project, her previous research work involves exploring student experiences in higher educational dance, and building data around pedagogical practices within dance learning.

About Sunniva

Sunniva Moen Rorvik is a dancer, choreographer and 2021 graduate from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Sunniva has produced work for the stage, and created choreographies which explore notions of queerness and larger ideas around utopian choreographic landscape.

In 2020 they founded the Back on The Map project alongside Emma Greene. 

Daniel Hartley

About Daniel

Daniel is a change focused researcher and evaluation specialist with a strong background leading research projects and change work within higher education over the last seven years to address educational and social inequality. He conducts in-depth primary research and use secondary research to develop robust analysis and effective responses to complex educational issues. His research has informed practical and policy changes across a number of London based universities such as Queen Mary, University of London and University College London.

Nii Kwartey Owoo

About Nii

Originally from Accra, Ghana, Nii is traditionally trained choreographer in traditional and contemporary West African dance and music and currently an African Dance Lecturer on the BA (Hons) Diverse Dance Course at Irie! Dance Theatre, London, accredited by University of Roehampton and Leeds City College

https://www.niikwarteyowoo.com/

Adesola Akinleye

About Adesola