May 5, 2024

Pillars of Dance Science | Emma Redding

What exactly is Dance Science? What are the main foundations that constitute its rich and detailed history? Given dance's unique position at the intersection of arts and sports, it was inevitable that this field would eventually enter the mainstream. One pioneering institution that played a crucial role in this transformation was the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, with one individual standing out as a driving force behind this revolution – Professor Emma Redding.

Professor Emma Redding is a distinguished practitioner, educator, and researcher in contemporary dance and performance science. Prior to her role as Director of the VCA, she served as Professor in Performance Science and Head of Dance Science at Trinity Laban. Her contributions include co-authoring the first-ever Master's degree in Dance Science and being a key figure in establishing dance science as a recognized field of study in Higher Education. She has also assumed leadership roles as a founding partner of the UK's National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science and as a Past President of IADMS.

Kickstarting a brand new season and month of Dance Science, this episode delves into its foundations, significance in the performing arts, and how it could become an integral part of every dancer's education. Ready to discover the scientist within you? Join us as we foreground dance in the background!

Soundtracks:

Birds - Tyler Twombly
Poison Ivy Yard Work - Uncle Milk
Happy (Dub) - Igor Pumphonia
Stingray - Lisofv

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Chapters

02:13 - Introduction

15:18 - To respect everyone’s viewpoint

29:17 - To appreciate that there are many more questions than answers

43:44 - To advocate that research is not complete unless it is published/shared

Emma Redding

Dancer / Educator / Researcher

Emma is a contemporary dance and performance science practitioner, educator and researcher. She holds a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences from City University London, UK, an MSc in Sports Science from The University of Essex, UK and a BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre from Laban, UK.

Prior to taking on the role of Director of the VCA, Emma was Professor in Performance Science and Head of Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, UK, leading the education, research and knowledge exchange. Originally trained as a dancer, Emma joined the Hungarian dance company Tranz Danz in Budapest before performing for Choreographers such as Rosalind Newman and Athina Vahla and furthering her interest in site-specific and cross-disciplinary performance practice.

Emma co-authored the first ever Master's degree in Dance Science and has since played a major role in developing dance science as a recognized field of study in Higher Education through her research, and through her international teaching. She is a founding partner of the UK’s National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science https://www.nidms.co.uk/ and a Past President of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science https://iadms.org/.

Emma retains her lecturing and studio practice in areas such as dance technique, improvisation, exercise physiology and research methods alongside her leadership and research work. She has supervised over 90 masters project dissertations and several PhD students through to completion in areas such as dancer health & wellbeing, phy… Read More