معرفی
Sally Doughty is Associate Professor in Dance and Reader in Dance and Improvisation at De Montfort University, where she is also Deputy Head of the School of Humanities and Performing Arts and Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Dance (CIRID). She is affiliated with the Arts, Design and Performance Research Institute and leads practice-based research projects supported by Arts Council England and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.
- MA by Independent Study: improvisation as a creative tool in the rehearsal process
- BA (Hons) Performing Arts: Dance
Sally Doughty’s research centers on improvisation, corporeal and extended archives, memory, and reflective practice in dance. She explores how the dancer’s body functions as a living archive and investigates autobiographical and cognitive dimensions of performance. Her pedagogic research focuses on developing reflective and analytical skills in movement improvisation, using technology to enhance learning. She is a leading voice in practice as research, emphasizing the documentation and articulation of artistic processes.
Her recent publications and performances reflect a sustained inquiry into hybrid artist-academic identities, audience co-authorship, and the materiality of performance. Works like Please Do Touch and Body of Knowledge explore tactile engagement and embodied memory, while her writing in Oxford Handbook of Improvisation and Dance Fields addresses epistemological and disciplinary questions. Her research outputs span performances, exhibitions, and scholarly texts, demonstrating a commitment to interdisciplinary and practice-led methodologies.
Scientific awards include:
- DMU Teacher Fellow (2010)
- DMU Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award (2009)
Sally supervises multiple PhD students and has secured funding for numerous practice-based research studentships through M3C, M4C, and internal bursaries. She has led externally funded projects such as the Management KTP with FABRIC and Arts Council England grants for Please Do Touch, Body of Knowledge, and Renaissance. She also provides professional consultancy, including for Dance4 and Leicester City Council, influencing regional cultural strategy.
She is actively involved in research groups including the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Dance (CIRID) and the Arts, Design and Performance Research Institute. She has curated symposia such as Dance Improvisation: The Estranged Cousin and leads initiatives that bridge academic research with professional dance practice.
