Anja K. Arend

Dr. Anja K. Arend is a researcher and academic at the Institute of Contemporary Dance, Faculty 3 of Folkwang University of the Arts, where she is responsible for dance theory, dance history, and the Folkwang Dance Archive. She holds a PhD in dance studies from Paris Lodron University Salzburg and has contributed significantly to interdisciplinary research in performance, migration, and archival practices.

• PhD in Dance Studies, Paris Lodron University Salzburg
• Studies in Musicology, History, and Theology
• Participation in Nordic Master of Dance Studies (Tampere & Copenhagen)

Her research focuses on contemporary and historical aspects of dance, particularly transatlantic dance practices, migration in dance, sound and movement, and the challenges of documenting performance. She explores interdisciplinary intersections between dance, cultural theory, and media. Her work emphasizes praxeological and archival methodologies in understanding dance as lived, embodied practice.

The recent publications reflect a strong engagement with performance documentation, digital dissemination of dance, multicultural choreography, and pedagogical approaches in art exhibitions. Themes such as hybridity, transnationalism, sensory perception, and archival subjectivity recur across her scholarly output, indicating a cohesive research trajectory centered on the epistemology of dance.

Dr. Arend is also actively involved in academic outreach and public scholarship, serving as an editor and contributor to tanznetz.de since 2015. She plays a vital institutional role as the Faculty Equal Opportunity Representative for Faculty 3, promoting equity and inclusion within the university. Her contributions span research, teaching, archiving, and advocacy.

She has been involved in significant curatorial projects, including the ZKM Karlsruhe exhibition "Moments. Eine Geschichte der Performance in 10 Akten," where she contributed both intellectually and reflectively as a participant-observer. Her work bridges academic research with practical engagement in museums and digital platforms.