Lesley Main

Principal Lecturer in Dance

Department: School of Arts and Education

Contact

Qualifications

  • BA (Hons) Performing Arts: (1st class)
  • PhD

Research Interests

  • The dance tradition of modern dance pioneer, Doris Humphrey
  • Directing the Humphrey repertoire:
  • Developing new directorial strategies for modern dance stagings
  • Pedagogic strategies for the teaching of dance technique

Teaching Interests

  • Dance Technique (Humphrey-based)
  • Repertoire
  • Teaching Dance Technique
  • Supervision of practice-based research (MA/PhD)

Biography

Curriculum/Subject Area

Dance/Performing Arts

Current Work

Teaching:

  • DAN 1001:Dance Core 1 (Technique)
  • DAN 2010:Dance Core 2(Technique/Repertoire)
  • DAN 3400:Technique and Performance (Technique/Performance/Repertoire)
  • DAN 3500:Choreography (Repertoire)
  • DAN 3700:Professional Studies (Teaching Dance Technique)
  • DAN 3800:Independent Project (Supervision)
  • DAN 4125:Critical Perspectives and Choreography (Lecture)
  • DAN 4250:Independent Project: (Supervision)

PhD supervision

Administration:

  • Timetable Coordinator (Dance)
  • Academic Adviser (undergraduate)

Professional duties:

  • Member of University Academic Board (2004 : 2010)
  • Chair of Assessment Board (Music)

External Examiner:

  • BA (Hons) Physical Theatre, St Mary's College, 2005 - 2009
  • BA (Hons) Dance, DeMontfort University, 2006 - 2010
  • MA Dance and Professional Practice, DeMontfort University 2009 : 2012

Publications

Recent Performance Work

  • Passacaglia by Doris Humphrey, director, performed by Arke Compagnie D'Arte, Torino, Italy, Teatro Venaria, March, 2008
  • Water Study by Doris Humphrey, director, performed by Arke Compagnie D'Arte, Torino, Italy, Teatro Venaria, September, 2008
  • Passacaglia by Doris Humphrey, director, performed by Momenta Dance Company, Chicago, USA, October/November, 2008

Chapter in edited book

'The Staging of Passacaglia - A Director:'s Perspective' in ed. Jordan, Stephanie, 2000 Preservation Politics London: Dance Books pp. 106 : 113

Refereed article

'The Dances of Doris Humphrey : creating a contemporary perspective through directorial interpretation'. Dance Research, Vol. 23.2, Winter, 2005 p.106 - 122

Conferences

  • 'A Musical Exploration of Doris Humphrey's Passacaglia', with reference to how musical interpretation can influence directorial interpretation and performance of a dance work'. pp. 118 : 124 ed. Bennett, Toby 2005 Proceedings from the Sound Moves Conference: an international conference on music and dance
  • The pedagogic significance of 20th Century modern dance training for the 21st Century dancing body. Congress on Research in Dance (Special Conference) Global Perspectives on Dance Pedagogy Research and Practice, June, 2009
  • Reaching 'the natural' through 'nature' : an exploration of Doris Humphrey's Water Study'. University of Surrey/NRCD International Symposium, Moving Naturally, Rethinking Dance 1900s : 1930s October, 2009

Website

www.dorishumphreyfoundationuk.co.uk

Professional Memberships

Membership of professional bodies

  • Labanotation Institute (UK)
  • Dance Notation Bureau (USA)
  • Dance UK (UK)

Membership of learned society

  • The Doris Humphrey Foundation (UK) : Director
  • The Doris Humphrey Society (USA) - Board member
  • Congress on Research in Dance (Int)
  • Society for Dance Research, (UK)
  • Society for Dance History Scholars (Int):
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