Find Academic Supervisors

Sarah KellerView profile

Professor

• Cinema Studies
• Media Studies
• Experimental Film
• +3 more

Sarah Keller is a Professor in the Art Department at UMass Boston, specializing in Cinema and Media Studies. Her research bridges experimental film, feminist theory, and queer aesthetics, with a focus on historical and contemporary intersections of cinema, affect, and spectatorship. Books: Maya Deren: Incomplete Control , Anxious Cinephilia: Pleasure and Peril at the Movies , and Barbara Hammer: Pushing Out of the Frame . Edited Works: Co-edited Jean Epstein: Critical Essays and New Translations . Her scholarship explores cinephilia as a cultural and emotional phenomenon, analyzing films through lenses of anxiety, desire, and technological change. She has contributed to journals like Camera Obscura , Cinema Journal , and Studies in French Cinema , often connecting experimental filmmaking to broader socio-political contexts. Keller founded the Boston Cinema/Media Seminar, fostering academic discourse on film and media. Her work frequently engages with directors such as Maya Deren, Barbara Hammer, and Jean Epstein, emphasizing the enduring relevance of avant-garde practices in contemporary media landscapes.

Andrew Cooper-JamesView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Creative Filmmaking
• Production Design
• Sound Design
• +7 more

Andrew Cooper-James is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Film, TV & Digital Media Production at the University of Northampton, School of Arts. With over 30 years of experience as an independent filmmaker, he specializes in production design, performance, and sound design across film, television, and live art. He has been teaching for 17 years and holds a Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy. Research Interests: His creative and academic work focuses on interdisciplinary practices, particularly in screendance, collaborative art, and digital media. He explores the integration of performance, sound, and visual storytelling in both educational and artistic contexts. Publications and Conferences: Andrew has published in the International Screendance Journal and presented at GLAD and NAHEMI conferences. His recent work reflects trends in experiential learning, community engagement, and the fusion of live art with moving image. Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy Teaching and Creative Practice: He leads hands-on modules including Final Major Project, Sound for Screen, and Community Impact. His artistic projects have been supported by major institutions such as Arts Council England, The Royal Opera House, and The South Bank Centre. He mentors students in creative production and emphasizes practical, student-led learning. Labs and Creative Teams: While no formal lab is mentioned, Andrew collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in live art and film, often working with dancers, composers, and visual artists on hybrid projects supported by national and international arts organizations.

Alanna ThainView profile

Associate Professor

• Film Theory
• Visual Culture
• Affect Theory
• +7 more

Alanna Thain is an Associate Professor in the Department of English and Director of the Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at McGill University. Her work intersects film theory, affect studies, and performance, focusing on bodies in media and their temporal dynamics. She leads the Moving Image Research Lab (MIRL), exploring the body in post-digital cinema, and runs Cinema Out of the Box, a bicycle-powered mobile cinema project. Thain holds a Ph.D. in Literature from Duke University and a B.A. (Honours) from McGill. Her research spans minoritarian horror, sleep as sociable practice, dance on screen, and feminist media communities. Key projects include the SSHRC-funded Anarchival Outbursts examining dance and post-digital cinema, and States of Immersion on bodies and technology. Her publications include Bodies in Suspense: Time and Affect in Cinema (2017) and co-edited volumes like Lo Tech Pop Cult: Screendance Remixed (2024). Awards include SSHRC grants and the Richard Plant Award for her work on Dave St-Pierre’s performance art. Thain’s interdisciplinary approach blends scholarly research with creative practice, emphasizing "research-creation" that bridges theory and embodied experience. Current projects explore reproductive horror, queer post-apocalyptic practices, and ecological mobile cinema.

Dominic RedfernView profile

Associate Professor

• Video Art
• Video Installation
• Performance & Video
• +3 more

Associate Professor Dominic Redfern is an artist and academic in RMIT University's School of Art. His practice centers on video works exploring site, screen, and identity, with a focus on natural history and place. He has exhibited globally, including at Tate Modern, Te Tuhi Centre (New Zealand), and the Art Institute of Chicago. Current roles include senior supervision of five doctoral students and active research collaborations across Australia and internationally. Research interests span video art, performance, and environmental engagement. Key projects include Man Cave (2025), Immaculate Dust (2024), and Concentric: Working Title (2011). Awards include an ARC Linkage Grant (2013) and residencies in Finland, France, and Japan. His work interrogates posthumanism, hybrid identities, and socially engaged art practices. Supervision: Five current PhD candidates Grants: Over $1M in ARC and state funding Residencies: Estonia Academy of Arts (2025), Police Point (2024) Publications: 34 outputs including Public Art Dialogue and London Screendance Festival works Notable exhibitions include Tokyo Wonder Site (2013), Berlin's Hamburger Bahnof (2011), and the 2011 ReelDance Awards. His noise installation (2022) addresses mental health through audio-visual abstraction. Ongoing projects explore Chinese-Australian hybridity and ecological entanglements.

Gabri ChristaView profile

Associate Professor

• Dance
• Screendance
• Film
• +7 more

Gabri Christa is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice in the Dance Department at Barnard College, Columbia University. She is a transdisciplinary artist whose work explores social issues through a postcolonial and experimental lens, with a creative practice that centers multigenerational work. Christa was born and raised in Curaçao and serves as the founding director of the Moving Body – Moving Image Festival and the founder of the Movement Lab at Barnard College. Her academic and artistic background includes extensive work with dance companies such as Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, DanzAbierta, and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. She has created numerous choreographic works and her ongoing project Burnt Sugar Danz has been presented at venues including Central Park Summer Stage, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and New York Live Arts. She also serves on New York City's Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission since 2015. Christa's research interests span multiple disciplines with a focus on the intersection of dance and film (screendance), postcolonial perspectives, cultural heritage (particularly Caribbean), and social issues through artistic expression. Her creative practice often explores ancestral connections, multigenerational narratives, and the embodiment of cultural memory. She has developed significant work around dementia and aging through her Magdalena Project, which documents her mother's experience with the condition. Her award-winning films have been screened internationally, with her latest work "Kankantri (Silk Cotton Tree)" (2024) touring festivals worldwide and winning multiple Best Film awards. The film explores her multi-ethnic heritage (Chinese, African, Jewish, and Dutch) through the lens of Surinamese spirituality and ancestral connections. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship (1999/2000) Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Global Brain Health (2018-2019) Pangea Day Festival recognition as one of the world's 100 most promising filmmakers (2008) Emmy Nomination for "Ashe" (2019) Multiple film festival awards for "Kankantri" (2024-2025) Christa has advised numerous students through her role at Barnard College and has received significant grant support for her creative work, including from the Dia Art Foundation, Barnard College's Presidential Research Award, and the Alzheimer's Association. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges dance, film, and social commentary, creating innovative works that explore identity, memory, and cultural heritage.

Chris Lewis-SmithView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Screendance
• Digital Performance
• Site-Specific Performance
• +3 more

Chris Lewis-Smith serves as a Senior Teaching Fellow in Dance within the Bath School of Music and Performing Arts at Bath Spa University, where he is recognized for his internationally acclaimed work as a dance filmmaker. His creative output has been screened globally and honored with multiple awards, establishing him as a significant figure in digital performance practice. Academic background: PhD MA BA (Hons) Research focuses on the dynamic intersection of dance and film, with core expertise in Screendance and Site-Specific Performance . His methodology treats the dancer-camera relationship as a multi-layered choreographic space where movement and cinematic techniques generate endless creative possibilities. Key scholarly contributions include the book The water of light (2010) and the foundational article A brief history of the dancer/camera relationship (2016), which recontextualizes historical developments in dance-film integration. Publication trends reveal a consistent trajectory from theoretical historical analysis toward increasingly experimental digital media applications, with recent creative works demonstrating sophisticated integration of cinematic techniques and embodied movement. His REF2021 submission SIX (2014) exemplifies this evolution. Professional recognition includes: Multiple international awards for film screenings Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy Teaching practice emphasizes collaborative creation with dancers, choreographers, and artists, as reflected in recent productions like Adrian's party (2024). While specific grant details are unavailable, his sustained creative output demonstrates robust research activity within screendance pedagogy and production.

• Contemporary Dance
• Ballet
• Dance Education
• +3 more

Pablo Piantino serves as Associate Professor and Associate Director for Production and Season Planning in the School of Dance at the University of Utah. Previously, he held teaching positions at George Mason University, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet Trainee Program, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Repertory Dance Theatre, and the Royal New Zealand Ballet. His educational background includes: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from The Juilliard School (1999) Master of Fine Arts in Dance Education from the University of Washington (2015) Piantino's research centers on deconstructing the ballet-trained body to foster emergence of the contemporary dancing body through embodied knowledge transfer. As a re-stager of contemporary dance, he collaborates extensively with choreographers Penny Saunders and Alejandro Cerrudo, functioning as a living archive that translates artistic vision, choreographic reasoning, and movement solutions. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the inseparable integration of research and pedagogy, where classroom instruction directly informs professional restaging work and vice versa. His creative output shows consistent focus on restaging Alejandro Cerrudo's and Penny Saunders' works across major dance companies and academic institutions globally, alongside developing dance film projects that explore cinematic choreography. This demonstrates a clear trajectory toward preserving contemporary dance heritage while innovating through screen-based dance media. His professional recognition includes: Course Release Award from the College of Fine Arts, University of Utah (2023) Selection at Red Rock ScreenDance Film Festival (2021) Through his teaching at the University of Utah and guest residencies worldwide, Piantino mentors emerging dancers in technical precision and artistic interpretation, emphasizing musicality as foundational to movement expression. His collaborations with professional companies provide students direct access to contemporary choreographic processes, bridging academic training and professional practice. He maintains active creative partnerships with international dance companies including Ballet Hagen (Germany), Gauthier Dance, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, serving as a critical conduit between choreographers' artistic visions and performer embodiment across diverse cultural contexts.

• Screendance
• Site-Specific Art
• Participatory Filmmaking
• +2 more

Lizzie Sykes is Senior Lecturer in Moving Image Arts and Activism at Bournemouth University, teaching in BA Film and MA Directing programs. She completed a PhD (2024) on site-centric screendance methodologies. Research explores somatic approaches to film, participatory practices, and site-responsive performance. Collaborations include work with Surface Area Dance Theatre at Roche Court Sculpture Park and exhibitions at Dartington Hall. Creative practice investigates temporality, embodiment, and environmental engagement through moving image. International presentations include Edinburgh Screen.dance Festival, Sadler's Wells, and Philadelphia's Trans(m)it Film Festival. Work integrates community engagement and interdisciplinary dialogue.

Tiffany RhynardView profile

Associate Professor

• Social Justice and Performance
• Documentary Film and Screen Dance
• Real-Time Digital Media
• +3 more

Tiffany Rhynard is an Associate Professor in the School of Dance at Florida State University (FSU), specializing in cross-disciplinary work that merges dance, film, and social justice advocacy. Her research focuses on documentary film, real-time digital media, and community engagement, addressing issues like LGBTQ+ rights, immigration policy, and racial equity. Education: M.F.A. in Dance, The Ohio State University B.A. in Dance, University of North Carolina Greensboro Her award-winning documentary Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America (2017) received the Social Justice Film Award from the Southern Poverty Law Center and screens on LogoTV. Collaborations with artists like Christal Brown and Marlon Barrios Solano highlight her interdisciplinary approach. Current projects include A Right to Kill , a feature-length documentary exploring capital punishment ethics. Awards: Social Justice Film Award (Southern Poverty Law Center) Freedom Award (Outfest Film Festival) President’s Diversity and Inclusion Mini-Grant (2017) Teaching focuses on Survey of Dance Technologies , Contact Improvisation , and Dance Composition , emphasizing technological innovation in performance. Grants include the Dean’s Travel Grant (2018) and First Year Assistant Professor Award. Her work Black Stains (2017) examines black male identity via collaborative digital media, winning a Jury Award at ScreenDance Miami. She co-founded Sisters Unite Productions and actively engages communities through performance and activism.

Karen WoodView profile

Associate Professor

• Freelance working conditions
• Collaboration
• Ethics
• +6 more

Karen Wood is an Associate Professor (Research and Teaching) at the Research Centre for Dance Research, Coventry University, and Co-Director of the Birmingham Dance Network. She holds a Doctorate in Kinesthetic Empathy and Screendance Audiences from the University of Manchester (2012) and an MSc in Dance Science (2007). Her research focuses on freelance working conditions, collaboration ethics, and embodied practices in dance, integrating interdisciplinary approaches with neuroscience, fine art, and technology. Education: Doctorate, University of Manchester (2008-2012) MSc in Dance Science (2007) Her work explores leadership in freelance communities, ethics of care, and digital technologies in dance film. She chairs Vanhulle Dance Theatre's Board and serves on the Brum Pro Class Steering Group. Recent projects include studies on inclusive practices in dance and artists' working conditions. Awards include the 2017 Research Team of the Year. Advocacy includes artist-led initiatives and co-creating projects like 'Strictly Inclusive.' Grants and collaborations span arts councils and interdisciplinary partnerships. She actively engages in public events and academic conferences, emphasizing dialogue between practice and theory.

Kiri AvelarView profile

Assistant Professor

• Chicana/Latina Feminist Epistemologies
• Border(lands) Studies
• Transnational Dance Histories
• +6 more

Kiri Avelar (she/ella) is an Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Utah, specializing in Chicana/Latina feminist epistemologies and border(lands) studies. Her work centers transnational dance histories of the Latinx diaspora through the lens of the Chicano Movement, challenging established notions of transborder identities in dance historiography. Her educational background includes: BA in Dance from New Mexico State University (2006) MFA in Dance from Rutgers University (2019) PhD in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies from UC Santa Barbara (2022) Teachers' Certification from José Limón Dance Foundation (2010-present) Avelar's research employs collaborative methodologies prioritizing the body, rasquachismo, and pláticas~testimonios. She interprets dance archives through film, screendance, oral histories, and feminist cartographies to document marginalized contributions. Her teaching philosophy integrates translanguaging, sentipensante (sensing/thinking), and nepantla to foster liberatory creative practices that counter systemic erasure in dance education. Her recent publications reveal consistent focus on anti-racist pedagogy, José Limón's legacy, and Ballet Hispánico's cultural impact. She examines how border theory and diaspora frameworks reshape dance historiography, particularly through embodied oral histories and digital cartographies that make absent Latinx narratives visible. Scientific recognition includes: Jerome Robbins Dance Division Research Fellow (2020-2021) NYU Teaching Fellow for Latin American Studies UC Santa Barbara Chancellor's Fellow Documentary Arts Fund for Writers (2024) Avelar co-founded the Latinx Dance Educators Alliance (LXDEA) in 2021, now comprising 93 members across 25 U.S. states and Latin American countries. She serves on the National Core Arts Standards Dance Expert Panel and National Dance Education Organization Research Committee. Her Documentary Arts grant supports archival work on transfronteriza dance histories while the Jerome Robbins Fellowship advanced her research on José Limón's ambassadorship. She leads LXDEA as a movement connecting dance educators through community-based pláticas, testimonio, and convivencia. The alliance counters exclusionary practices by curating Latinx-centered resources and promoting Chicana/Latina feminist pedagogies across K-12 schools, conservatories, and universities.

Gina T’aiView profile

Assistant Professor

• Drag
• Distance Dance
• Entrepreneurship
• +8 more

Gina T’ai is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Beloit College in the College of Performing and Applied Arts. She teaches courses in Modern Dance , Dance History , Dance Entrepreneurship , and Contact Improvisation , and received her MFA and BA in Dance from Hollins University. A specialist in drag performance , distance dance , and gender studies , T’ai creates interdisciplinary works presented internationally at festivals like Performatica (Mexico), World Dance Alliance (Canada), and The American Dance Festival (ADF). Education: MFA in Dance, Hollins University BA in Dance, Hollins University Her research merges drag , queer theory , and entrepreneurship , often incorporating distance dance and gender performativity . She founded the course "Performing Gender," which culminates in a drag and burlesque spectacular, and has mentored queer and ally students as "House Mama." Her publications explore subversive movement, identity, and collaborative spectacles, with performances at venues like the Beloit International Film Festival and the World Dance Alliance Global Summit. T’ai’s creative practice extends to injury prevention and myofascial release for athletes, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary and inclusive art.

• Physical Interfaces
• Interactive Art
• Game-Based Learning
• +7 more

José Carlos Santos Neves is a Lecturer and researcher at Universidade Lusófona, where he teaches Interaction Design, Digital Arts, and Communication Design across multiple bachelor's degrees (Design, Videogames, Cinema, Applied Communications) and a master's program. His work bridges physical interface design, interactive art, and inclusive education through game-based learning. PhD in Communication Studies Master in Multimedia Communication Systems Licenciatura in Communication Design Specialized in Arduino, Fritzing, and advanced interaction design His research emphasizes inclusive education for deaf students via tangible games , social sustainability in fashion , and accessible gaming for people with intellectual disabilities. Recent projects include GBL4deaf (FCT-funded) and EducaçãoAcessível.pt, which integrate physical interfaces with educational content. He also explores interactive art as a tool for co-authorship and sensory engagement. Scientific awards include the InShadow's Best Screendance Prize (2018) . He coordinates the OPERAT laboratory for tangible accessible resources and has contributed to 15+ publications spanning game-based learning, cognitive accessibility, and digital-physical hybrid art. His work reflects a commitment to using design and technology to address educational and social inclusion challenges.

Matthew GoughView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Contemporary Dance Performance
• Dance Dramaturgy
• Contact Improvisation
• +7 more

Matthew Gough is a Senior Lecturer in Dance at the Faculty of Business and Creative Industries, University of Northampton. He is affiliated with the Creative Industries Research and Innovation Group and has previously held academic positions at the University of Central Lancashire and the University of Chester. As Artistic Director of Playgrounds Dance Company (2010–2015), he created over 30 dance works and developed an applied philosophy in dance pedagogy. Education: BA Hons in Dance and Theatre Arts, University of Greenwich MA in Contemporary Dance Performance, University of Limerick Matthew’s research and practice focus on Contemporary Dance Performance , particularly Improvisation , Contact Improvisation , Screendance , Performance Technologies , and Dance Dramaturgy . His work is grounded in practice-based research, directly informing his pedagogical approach. He has collaborated internationally with renowned artists such as Rosie Kay, Steve Paxton, and Lisa Nelson, contributing to innovative developments in dance education and performance. His recent artistic output spans stage and screen, with works from 2014 to 2017 exploring themes of memory, identity, technology, and minimalism. These performances reflect a strong interdisciplinary approach, blending choreography with digital media, dramaturgical inquiry, and somatic practices. The works often engage with conceptual frameworks, pushing the boundaries of traditional dance forms. Professional Activities: Invited Speaker, Creative Mornings Cardiff (2016): "Broken as alternative to beautiful" Trustee, National Dance Company Wales (since 2018) Matthew has presented and published internationally on topics such as the dramaturgy of minimalist dance, improvisational practices, and screendance as research. He maintains a long-term artistic collaboration with Tim Halliday and continues to create work that bridges academic inquiry with live and recorded performance. His role as a process dramaturg for artists like Rosie Kay and Stephanie Schober further underscores his influence in shaping contemporary dance practice.

Ilana GoldmanView profile

Professor

• Ballet
• Choreography
• Screendance
• +3 more

Ilana Goldman is a Professor and BFA Program Director at the School of Dance, Florida State University. She is a renowned choreographer, filmmaker, and educator with expertise in ballet, contemporary dance, and screendance. Her work bridges performance, film, and education, emphasizing community engagement and artistic innovation. Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, The Juilliard School Master of Fine Arts in Dance, University of Washington Key Research & Teaching Areas: Ballet technique, choreography, screendance, and pedagogical methods. Her creative works blend traditional dance forms with modern media, showcased globally in festivals and theaters. Awards: Awardee of multiple film festival honors (including Tallahassee Film Festival, Portugal Indie Film Fest) and university teaching accolades (College of Fine Arts Teaching Award, 2019). Advising & Grants: While no formal advisees are listed, her teaching awards highlight impactful mentorship. She has collaborated with institutions like Bowen McCauley Dance and Glacier National Park through residencies. Labs/Teams: Active in film and dance communities, commissioning works for FSU’s Center for the Advancement of Human Rights and leading educational outreach initiatives.