Doing a Masters of Dance Studies has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I have had. I am humbled to have been awarded an A+ for my thesis and performance and very grateful to have been a recipient of the 2023 Gavin and Susan Walker Postgraduate Scholarship. Receiving this grade recognises the dedication, commitment and love I put into my studies. It is also testament to the support and encouragement I received from family and friends. I have made amazing friends at the university, who I look forward to collaborating with in the future.
During my studies some of the most interesting and surprising things happened to be those that I did not expect to happen, such as learning about fungi and mycelium and the interconnectivity between mycorrhizal fungi and plants (did you know John Cage was an amateur mycologist?!). Placing my site-responsive performance, Sense (an)other, in Albert Park prompted me to learn about its histories before and after colonization, and its significance for Aotearoa’s LGBTTQIA+ peoples.
I was fortunate to have Associate Professor Alys Longley as my primary supervisor, who has since become an artist friend and collaborator. Alys’ embodied artistic knowledge and tangential thinking, combined with her warm personality supported and nourished my nonlinear process. I also worked as research assistant for Alys' h u m a t t e r i n g and began teaching her dance studies paper. I also had the brilliant Dr Mark Harvey as my secondary supervisor. Mark’s knowledge of site-responsive performance and keen interest in native plants and fungi, greatly assisted in my research. Working in Rangipuke I became interested in Dr Richard Orjis and Dr val smith’s queer collaborative artistic practice, bttm/Bttm methodology including the project Queer Pavillion (2020) held in Albert Park. bttm/Bttm softly influenced my unconventional choreographic practice and influenced the queer orientation of my research. Other local and international artist researchers also inspired the process and performance of Sense (an)other, discussed further in my thesis.
I would also like to acknowledge the other dance studies lecturers who taught me during my studies including Sarah Foster-Sproull, who took the choreography paper which allowed me to expand my knowledge of performance and choreography in a supportive space. Also HOD Professor Ralph Buck, Professor Nicolas Rowe, Dr Tia Reihana, Dr Becca Weber and Sarah Knox for your mahi and the energy you put into the dance studies department.
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