About Rachel Emms
Originally from Sunderland, I trained in Dance and Drama at the Roehampton Institute and worked as a freelance artist for a number of years in London before moving back to the north-east. I am currently a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Performing Arts.
I am also Artistic Director of Dance University of Sunderland Company (DUSC) which is embedded within the dance provision and also spills into the community with DUSC Youth and DUSC G (graduate company).
Teaching and supervision
I teach performance, preparation, and presentation (public events including working at Beamish Museum), experimental practices (site-specific work), composition (choreography), key practitioners (research and choreography), physical dance theatre (issue-based work), and staging the dance (showcase).
I facilitate the DUSC undergraduate professional tour of primary schools and colleges which is embedded within Dance practice and application at Stage 3. I also teach arts identity and industry, community education, and musical theatre.
Research
I am currently working collaboratively with Sarah Riach on developing Learningbods© which is a model to teach children key aspects of the curriculum through dance theatre. Numberbods (2016) and Sciencebods (2017) toured primary schools. This outreach has been commended by an Education specialist consultant as an excellent and innovative model of practice.
I have also worked collaboratively with Andrew Clarence and Mat Hobbins on the writing and production of a range of children's musicals performed at the Whitley Bay Playhouse. Such activity feeds into a number of modules in the performing arts suite of courses.
Publications
See all of Rachel Emms's publicationsFurther information
I am the mental health first aider for the performing arts team and a mental health champion for the University.