Jess is currently undertaking a practice research Ph.D funded by Midland4Cities at De Montfort University researching ‘Improvisational Dramaturgy for Dance and Music Collaboration’.
Her research draws on scholarship and practice from Improvisation Studies and Dramaturgy in order to analyse and develop her own creative practice and engage with that of other artists, exploring a diverse range of dance and music collaborative practices/ Jess is interested in how her doctoral study can engage with current discussions around programming and producing dance and music improvisation-as-performance work, and how this learning might inform new performance models.
Jess has presented her research at conferences, festivals and talks including:
Presentation & Workshop "Mapping and Mining the 'Tight Places' of Improvisation” 4th International Conference of Dalcroze Studies 'The listening body in action’ 28 July – 02 August 2019 at Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music, Katowice, Poland
Presentation "A Personal Manifesto for Rhythm Tap Research" POP Moves 12th Annual Conference 'Moving Beyond Coloniality' 22 - 24 November 2019 at the University of Roeshampton, London
Presentation “Improvisation by Design” Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival 27 August 2019
Presentation ‘Windows on Research’ as part of the Tap Dance Research Network UK ‘Online Talk Series’ 13 October 2019
