Fiona Bannon
PhD, MEd, LCCS, BA

Biography

Fiona began her professional career as a freelance community dance worker after completing postgraduate studies in Community Dance at the Laban Centre (London).   In the early 1990’s she moved to Sydney to work as the Education and Community Officer for Ausdance (NSW).  On returning to the UK  she joined the Scarborough School of Arts (University of Hull) as a lecturer in Dance and Performance.  She took on the post of Head of School, leading the school through a period of expansion to become the School of Arts and New Media in 2006.  Fiona joined the School of Performance and Cultural Industries, Leeds in 2007.

All images by Fiona Bannon

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Research Interests

• Improvisation, free play, creativity and aesthetic development
• Walking as daily dance practice
• Multisensory walks, Place and well-being
• Somaesthetics and knowledge making
• Dialogue, collaboration in art making,
• Social choreography and aesthetics of the everyday
  
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Research Group

Practitioner Processes Research Group

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Current Teaching

Postgraduate Taught
Craft of Choreography, Individual Project, Research Project

Undergraduate
Choreographic Practice, Strategies for Research. Dissertation,
Collaborative Performance Projects, Understanding Dance
Contemporary Issues in Cultural Industries

International Foundation
Creative Collaboration and Performance, Culture and Contemporary Society.

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Current Roles

Senior Lecturer
Programme Manager, MA Performance, Culture & Context
Deputy Director Learning and Teaching
School Ethics Representative

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Supervised MA and PhD students

Stefanie Boulila
Queering Salsa: Performing Identities Through Dance/ Contesting and
Negotiating Dance Convention.

Mark Edward
The Temporality of the Performing Body: Tears, Fears and Ageing Queers.

The incentive for this research comes from my journey as a performing subject with a personal interest in gender performance (drag queen guerrilla interventions), ageing performers and Œque(e)rying¹ the site through queer visibility in heteronormative spaces.

Louise McDowall
Dance Improvisation as a ‘Conversational Dynamic

Rozita Ahmad
Performing Societal Change
An Ethnographic Approach to Joget Dance in Malay Society

Maureen Sydney
Decision Making and Problem Solving in Educational Management: An Auto ethnographic Approach

Kathinka Walter
The Visible Choreographer in the Performance Process

Andrea Thoma
Thought dwellings – Time and Space in Painting, Photography and Video

Sample Masters Supervision

Heather Young,University of Leeds, 2009.
Through Preservation and Performance
An interrogation of dance documentation and transfer methods, and their effects on the ontology of a contemporary choreographic work,

Peter Laycock, University of Leeds, 2010
Tales of a Choreographic Tourist: Retaining Choreographic Signature whilst Adopting New Practices

Aarabi Veeraraghavan, MRes, University of Hull, 2007
Narrating Space- The Dancing Body in/as Space and Site

Sue White, MA, University of Hull, 2004
Backspace: Documentation, Performance Capturing a Work

Jezz White, MA, University of Hull, 2004
Searching for Me: A trilogy of solo work identifying personal art making practice

Sarah Roe, MA, University of Hull, 2004
Dance and Reflection: A Personal Dialogue

Fergus Byrne, MA, University of Hull, 2003
Nerve Quarries
A Comparative Study of Helene Cixous and the Butoh of Tatsumi Hijkata

Kayla Dougan, MA, University of Hull, 2003.
The Body as Site for Comfort and Discomfort

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Images by George Bacoust

Publications

Articulations: Walking as Daily Dance Practice
Choreographic Practices  Vol 1, No 1 (due, Nov 2010) Add web

Architects of the Invisible: Play with a City in ‘The Blackboard Dances
With Katie Beswick, Duncan Holt, Peter Laycock, Kelly Preece, Kathinka Walter, Proximity, Vol 13, Ed 3,  Dec, 2010, >Proximity.slightly.net/<

Methodical Obsession in 5.the Practice of Research  (in development, 2011)

Move Like a Blaze of Consciousness: Bad Girls Dancing,
Punk and Post Punk (in development, 2011)

Dance: Possibilities of a Discipline
Research in Dance Education, Vol 11, No 1, March 2010 p 49-59.
<http://0www.informaworld.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/smpp/title~content=t713444433~db=all>

Starting from here: higher education from the insideout.
Dance Dialogues: conversations across cultures, artforms and practices
Ausdance Queensland, World Dance Alliance: Asia Pacific, in partnership with Creative Industries, QUT, Brisbane, July 2008.
 http://www.ausdance.org.au/resources/publications/dance-dialogues/papers/dance-in-higher-education.pdf

‘Walking Between: Through Place and Practice’ a joint authorship with   Dr Stuart Andrews. Chapter in Collision: Interarts Practice and Research, Cambridge Scholars Press, December,  2008.

Curious Education: Art Making and Improvisation’ Colouring the Senses 10th Biannual Conference – Dance and the Child International – Hague, July 2006 

Towards Creative Practice in Research in Dance Education, Research in Dance Education, Volume 5 No, 1. April, 2004  p23-41.
http://0www.informaworld.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/smpp/content~db=all~content=a713630864~frm=titlelink

‘Trans-cultural Aesthetics: Dance Improvisation Exploring Body-Minded Knowledge.’
Proceedings of the International Conference: Pulses and Impulses for Dance in the Community, Universidade Technica de Lisboa October 2003, p61-66.

‘Reflections on Conversation in Learning and Teaching.’ The Performance Reflective Practice Project DeMontfort University, ReP Project and FDLT, July 2003.

‘Through Salt Air’ Collaborative Site Specific Performance Project, Bridlington and Scarborough, April/ May 2002.

'Capturing a Moment: Researching Aesthetic Experience within Dance Education' - Fiona Bannon with Dr Patricia Sanderson
Extensions and Extremities: Points of Departure,  8th Dance and the Child International Proceedings, Regina Canada July 2000 pp29-34.  ISBN 0-7731-0405-4

Experiencing Every Moment: Aesthetically Significant Dance Education
Fiona Bannon with Dr Patricia Sanderson   Research in Dance Education, Volume 1 No, 1 April 2000, 9-26.  ISBN1464-7893
http://0www.informaworld.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/smpp/content~db=all~content=a713694236~frm=titlelink

'Dancing as a Research Manual' - Graduate Educational Forum,
University of Manchester, 2000   ISBN 1466-6561

'Experience Every Moment' - National Dance Teacher's Association Annual Conference the Laban Centre, London November 1998.

'Engaged in Crisis' Dance Matters: National Dance Teachers' Association
Fiona Bannon with Dr Patricia Sanderson, Autumn, 1998.

'An Aesthetic Approach to Dance Education' The Call of the Lakes and Forests, 7th Dance and the Child International Conference  Proceedings, Kuopio, Finland,  July 1997 pp 28-36.

Review Articles
'Dance, Power and Difference' (1998) S. Shapiro (Ed.) - Human Kinetics in Research in Dance Education, Volume 1 No, 1 April 2000.
‘Dance, Power and Difference' (1998) S. Shapiro (Ed.) - Human Kinetics The European Physical Education Review,
'Creative Dance' by S. Drewe, The European Physical Education Review
‘If the Suit Fits’ Solo Performance Work, New Dance No 36 Spring 1986. 

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Projects

Images by Fiona BannonShown in image - Kayla Dougan- Bowtell, Thomas Lehmen, Bryan Brown, Peter Laycock, Heather Jones

Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) Awards
DownTownDance, 2009-2011. 

• Workshop laboratory with Thomas Lehmen, March 2010
• The Blackboard Dances, performance event at Leeds City Museum Café, LightNight 2010.
• Founder member ‘Architects of the Invisible’ a performance collective based in PCI. Exploring experimental choreography and social interaction.
• ‘In Situ’. Performance Improvisations in City Places

 

Re-Tale Leeds  & Arrivals, 2008.
Performance events for LightNight, 2008 in partnership with Yorkshire Dance Centre.   Venues Leeds City Museum and VQ, Leeds, 2008

 

Member of the University Working Group,  Education for Sustainable Development. ADF Project

Member of the project team for Digitalis: Using digital technologies to enhance and embed creative reflection.   ADF Project.  Exploring the use of handheld digital equipment ( Flip)  for  in-studio creative reflection.

Performance and Tears. Research project exploring unexpected and intense responses to experiences of performance.

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Editorial Work

Member of the ‘Dancelines’  Board - Research in Dance Education (RIDE)

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Image by Fiona Bannon

 

International Presentations

Small Acts of Desire on Foot,
Hidden City Symposium, University of Plymouth, Faculty of Arts, October 2008.

Starting from Here: Dance in higher education from the inside out. Dance Dialogues, Queensland University of Technology, 2008.
The possibility of walking, drifting, meandering at Creativity and Walking, an interdisciplinary colloquium, University of Leeds, School of Design, March, 2008.

Walking Between: Through Place and Practice jointly with
Dr Stuart Andrews at Collision: Collisions An Interdisciplinary Symposium on Practice in Research, University of Victoria, Canada, BC, 2007.

Imaginative Castings: The Emergence of New Practice Creativity or Conformity? Building Cultures of Creativity in Higher Education, UWIC, Cardiff and Higher Education Academy, 2007.

Curious Education: Art Making and Improvisation Colouring the Senses 10th Biannual Conference – Dance and the Child International – Hague, July 2006
‘Mapping Your Creative Territory: Dance Research Practice’ Conference for Research in Dance and Drama SCUDD/SCODHE, University of Leeds, April 2003.

Trans-cultural Aesthetics: Dance Improvisation Exploring Body-Minded Knowledge.’ The International Conference: Pulses and Impulses for Dance in the Community, Universidade Technica de Lisboa October 2003.

Capturing a Moment: Researching Aesthetic Experience within Dance Education Extensions and Extremities: Points of Departure, 8th Dance and the Child International Proceedings, Regina, Canada July 2000

'An Aesthetic Approach to Dance Education' The Call of the Lakes and Forests, 7th Dance and the Child International Conference Proceedings, Kuopio, Finland, July 1997.

Critical Response, Conference in conjunction with the Yorkshire Dance, National Dance Agency, Scarborough School of Arts, 1999

Tenth Anniversary Conference: Dance in Education, National Dance Teacher's Association Annual Conference the Laban Centre, London, November 1998.

The Call of the Lakes and Forests, 7th Dance and the Child International Conference, Kuopio, Finland, July 1997

Kindle the Fire, 6th Dance and the Child International Conference, Macquarie University Sydney Australia, 1994.

 

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External Activity / Professional Links

Member of the British Educational Research Association (BERA)

Standing Conference on Dance in Higher Education (SCODHE)

Member of Academic Board, Leeds College of Music

Creative Advisor – Yorkshire Dance, Independent Choreographers Residence Programme, 2008.

Currently - External Examiner, Liverpool John Moores, BA  Dance
Experienced external and internal examination at doctoral level

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Education and Career

Doctor of Philosophy, Victoria University, Manchester. 2001
‘Experience Every Moment: Aesthetically Significant Education in Dance’

Master of Education, Victoria University, Manchester, 1996.
‘An Aesthetic Approach to Dance Education’.

Laban Centre Community Studies (PG), The Laban Centre, London

 

Examples of Freelance  Dance Activity

• Community Outreach, Department of Dance, University of Western Sydney
• Lecturer BA/BEd Leisure Studies, School of Sport and Leisure Studies, University of New South Wales,
• Group Leader, Metropolitan West Talented Child Dance Ensemble
• Performer, The Sydney Independents Dance Collective
• Lecturer in Dance and Performing Arts, The North Wales Institute of HE
• Gulbenkian Foundation Fellow, Yorkshire Arts, 1986-1987                                        
• Freelance Community Arts Worker
• Co-Director of New Word Dance Company, Theatr Clwyd, North Wales
• Director of ‘Dancing Ground’, The Gateway Theatre Chester. 
• Arts Officer, Cadwyn Clwyd Link, Access to arts for disadvantaged groups.
• Arts Officer for Wirral Youth Theatre, Merseyside.

The North Wales Institute of Higher Education

• Gulbenkian Foundation Fellow, Yorkshire Arts 1986-1987                                        
• Freelance Community Arts Worker 1985 -1989
• Co-Director of New Word Dance Company, Theatr Clwyd, North Wales
• Director of ‘Dancing Ground’, The Gateway Theatre Chester. 
• Arts Officer, Cadwyn Clwyd Link, Access to arts for disadvantaged groups.
• Arts Officer for Wirral Youth Theatre, Merseyside.

Other Awards

• Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award 2007, University of Hull, ‘Optimal Learning Project’.
• Welsh Arts Council- Choreographic Commissions, 1991
• Yorkshire Arts & Gulbenkian Foundation Research Fellowship, 1987
• Arts Council of Great Britain Trainee Dance Animateur, 1986
• Princes Trust Training Initiatives Award - 1985

 

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