Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Rachael works across dance, performance, cultural and archival studies. She is particularly interested in materialist methodologies in the analysis of dance and how these methodologies might help to locate and better understand dance and its relationship to its broader social and material conditions.
Rachael was awarded a Midlands4Cities studentship for her doctoral research (2020-2024). Rachael's doctoral thesis is entitled ‘Chisenhale Dance Space in the 1980s: a cultural Materalist Analysis'. This thesis answers the research question ‘What was Chisenhale Dance Space?’ by providing the first historiographical account of the organisation. Informed by the work of cultural theorist Raymond Williams this thesis adopts a cultural materialist approach and utilizes Williams’ concept of structure of feeling to examine the collective historical experience of Chisenhale Dance Space in the 1980s. The use of Williams’ structure of feeling in this thesis is novel within dance studies. Thus, the thesis extends and theorizes Williams’ work within dance studies, demonstrating not only how it might be applied to dance analysis but also that specific insights can be gained from such an approach. These insights demonstrate how dance, and its organisations, are enmeshed in their social, historical and material conditions. This approach enabled an analysis that explores the ways that dance participates in the production of ideologies and how it might thus be implicated in or a challenge to hegemony. As part of this research Rachael produced an on-going oral history project entitled 'Listening to Chisenhale Dance Space' available to the public via YouTube.
Since 2020 Rachael has focused her curatorial activities on the presentation of dance from the British New Dance movement (1977-1988). In 2020, Rachael curated the first exhibition on the work of the X6 Collective (1976-1980) at Cell Project Space, London; and in 2021 she curated an exhibition on the work of Cycles Dance Company at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum as part of Coventry Biennial. In 2022, Rachael organised a screening programme exploring the work of Chisenhale Dance Space during the 1980s at Chisenhale. This two-part screening programme was supported by an Ivor Guest Research Grant.
Rachael teaches across fine art, dance and theatre departments and lecturers at Wimbledon College of Art (UAL) and Coventry University. She is currently assistant editor of Choreographic Practices Journal and communications assistant of the AHRC-funded project: 'Dance Research Matters Networks Mapping project'.
External positions
Dance Research Matters: Communications Assistant, Centre for Dance Research, Coventry University
2023 → …
Guest Lecturer, University of the Arts London
2022 → 2023
Editorial Assistant, Choreographic Practices, Intellect Journals
2021 → …
Guest Curator, Coventry Biennial 2021
2021
Lecturer, Coventry University
2021 → …
Guest Lecturer, University of Roehampton
2021
Public Programme Curator, Cell Project Space
2016 → 2020
Fingerprint
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Projects
- 1 Active
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DM: DanceMap: Innovation pathways and policies to promote European dance heritage at home and abroad
Ellis, S. (Principal Investigator), Davies, R. (Research Fellow), Hayward-Smith, L. (Research Assistant) & Waelde, C. (Co-Investigator)
6/01/25 → 5/01/28
Project: Research
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Meeting at Chisenhale Dance Space in the 1980s
Davies, R., 19 Dec 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Performance Research. 28, 2, p. 110-115 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile24 Downloads (Pure) -
Choreographic Devices, Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), London, UK, 10–12 June 2022
Davies, R. & Slater, J., 22 Dec 2022, In: Choreographic Practices. 13, 2, p. 219-225 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
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Collaboration and Collectivity: The founding of Chisenhale Dance Space
Davies, R., 2022, (In preparation).Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
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In conversation: Rosemary Lee and Rachael Davies
Davies, R. & Lee, R., Jun 2022Research output: Practice-Based and Non-textual Research › Digital or Visual Media
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Interview with Candela Capitán
Davies, R., 2022, Motor Dance Journal, 1, 1, p. 115-121 7 p.Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
Activities
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Movement and Momentum: A Dance for the Camera Screening
Davies, R. (Speaker)
3 May 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Chisenhale on Video: a two-part screening programme
Davies, R. (Organiser)
2023 → …Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Public Engagement Event
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TaPRA Documenting Performance Field Trip: Collectivity and Transformation in the Archive
Davies, R. (Participant)
18 May 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Institue for Creative Cultures PGR Conference
Davies, R. (Speaker)
23 Jun 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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WEAVE Capacity Building LabDay: Archives and the Dancing Body
Davies, R. (Speaker)
19 Apr 2022Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
Prizes
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Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant
Davies, R. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Midlands4Cities Research Development Fund
Davies, R. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Press/Media
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Dance Tabs: 'Exhibition – X6 Dance Space (1976-80): Liberation Notes – London', Josephine Leask
2/04/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Flash Art: 'X6 Dance Space (1976–80): Liberation Notes', Philomena Epps
31/03/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Artforum: 'Critics' Pick: X6 Dance Space (1976–80): Liberation Notes', Tom Hastings
7/02/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities