Study With Us

Why C-DaRE?

World-leading researchers
Links with national and international dance and cultural sector
Leading artist-researchers
Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary culture
Firm links with regional and national dance community
Expert supervisors
Programme of leading-edge dance research events
Collegial and supportive research environment
Opportunity to gain experience in editorial work, in conference support, and in teaching.
Part of the AHRC-funded Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership.

Our academic experts

The Centre specialises in an inclusive interdisciplinary approach to diverse forms of artistic and scholarly research in dance supported by new approaches to documentation, analysis and dissemination of choreographic creativity.

Our researchers are experts in dance practice, performance, philosophy and analysis; the intersection between dance and digital technologies, cultural heritage, health and wellbeing, and legal and ethical frameworks; and the historical, cultural and political movements that have shaped dance today.

Stimulating learning environment

C-DaRE’s research projects range from large-scale collaborative projects to smaller scale projects on a local, regional or national level. Many combine our own expertise with multi or interdisciplinary teams of researchers to explore particular global challenges including those facing the creative and cultural industries. Our research is often initiated by, or involves international choreographers and dance artists; together we are excited by developing new ways to make and document dance, to enhance appreciation of dance and to find ways to enhance people’s lives through participating in dance.

C-DaRE is also home to the international peer-reviewed Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices and staff members are principal editors on other journals, including Choreographic Practices. Our publications include several sole and jointly authored books, book chapters, journal articles, films, exhibitions, and various live, digital and immersive performance outputs.

We are a team of international researchers, research professionals and a large community of PhD candidates, researching a range of topics connected to our core themes.

Collaborations and Partnerships

Our funded research, often centred on our collaboration with partners across the cultural sector, ranges from major projects funded by Research Councils, the European Commission, the Leverhulme and Wellcome Trusts, British Academy, British Council, to smaller seed funding by the HEA and artist-led projects funded by Arts Council England. Our research projects range from large-scale collaborative projects to smaller scale projects on a local, regional or national level. Many combine our own expertise with multi or interdisciplinary teams of researchers to explore particular challenges facing the creative and cultural industries. Our research is often initiated by, or involves international choreographers and dance artists; together we are excited by developing new ways to make and document dance, to enhance appreciation of dance and to find ways to enhance people’s lives through participating in dance.

Practice Research

As experts in practice research, many of our projects are focused on the generation, transmission and analysis of practice research, made for stages, screens and a variety of other indoor and outdoor sites, including virtual environments. Working as, and with, leading dance makers, our research has also explored the role of new technologies in the how dance is created and encountered.

With a rigorous approach to practice research as methodology we demonstrate how dance plays a vital role in enabling and sustaining the cultural, physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of the wider population.

Diverse research methods and modes of knowledge generation

Many of our researchers are bringing dance expertise to advance thought within continental and analytical philosophy, critical theory, politics, gender studies and are exploring a growing area of interest in ethics within performance practice, including in fields as diverse as AI and computing science, and working with refugees, migrant and other marginalized communities. Our research methods enable further links between fundamental thinking and theory generation, and solving real world challenges and problems.