Dance Exchange, Knowledge Exchange: Innovating with Scottish Ballet

Since 2015, I have collaborated with Scottish Ballet, Scotland’s national dance company, through evaluating and conducting research on a diverse series of education projects: the Dancers’ Education Group (tailored training for company dancers who aspire to be dance educators); The Close project (working with vulnerable at-risk young people); and the Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland programme (run in conjunction with Dance Base, Edinburgh). This year, our partnership continues with the launch of a pioneering, intergenerational, three year Dance for Dementia programme, Time to Dance.

Definitions of Knowledge Exchange vary but all focus on the positive interplay, connection, and relationships between academia and industry. Demonstrable and tangible benefits across Scottish Ballet, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and for myself as researcher, include both the particular findings related to each piece of evaluation and research, their dissemination and impact, and the contribution to research-led teaching within the institution. Innovation is crucial to how we (company and researcher) have learnt from each other’s practices and facilitated the development of new projects and ways of working.

This presentation considers the particular experiences and narrative associated with a relationship that has grown to be sustainable and long-term in nature, and asks wider questions pertaining to the future and direction of our discipline. What are the key benefits and challenges for Knowledge Exchange between dance academia and industry? What is the role of Knowledge Exchange in the development of dance studies?