ResDance

ResDance Series 10: Episode 1: From HEAD to TOE: The creative moving body in primary education with Sarah Hall
In this episode, Sarah shares insights from her work as an artist-researcher and facilitator in community and educational settings. Centered on her expertise in creative practice through embodied knowledge, our conversation explores the aims of From HEAD to TOE, a project funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund. We discuss how Sarah’s work emphasises empowerment, inclusion, and finding voice, highlighting approaches used within the project, methods of engagement and ways of movingtogether to enjoy learning, embody knowledge, and support individual wellbeing. Sarah reflects on her experiences so far, emphasising the importance of placing care at the heart of practice and the value of a co-creative approach in drivingmeaningful change.
Biography
Sarah is an experienced facilitator working in community and education settings, specialising in creative practice through embodied and improvisational methodologies. Sarah is a Senior Lecturer and Practitioner Researcher at the University of Lancashire and also leads BlueMoose Dance, a community dance organisation based in the North of England, with a specialist focus on practice with, for and by young people and Artist and Teacher CPD. Through a person-centred approach, Sarah’s work surrounds notions of empowerment, inclusion and finding voice, working co-creatively with participants through play and improvisational approaches, with care and quality at the heart of the practice. 
From HEAD to TOE project biography
We use the creative moving body and embodied pedagogies to support teachers in modelling and teaching metacognition and executive functioning skills. Working from care-filled practices, our CPD model and research inquiry supports Teachers and Pupils to connect to self, to better recognise their needs, to articulate their preferences and use creativity and movement to play, discover, connect and empower.
This phase, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund, builds on our initial focus of the creative moving body in the retention and recall of key English and Maths knowledge, which ran from 2021 - 2023, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Arts Based Learning Fund.
Website
[email protected]
Social media channels
@unilancashire
@danceuclan
@bluemoosedance

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ResDance Series 9: Episode 11: Curating ResDance: Gemma Harman on 100 Episodes of ResDance
In this episode, Gemma reflects on her journey curating 100 episodes of the ResDance™podcast alongside her friend and colleague, Elsa Urmston. Situating the conversation within Gemma’s wider practice as an educator and researcher, they discuss the founding of ResDance, the key themes that have emerged from contributors to date, and the processesinvolved in recording the podcast. They explore the role of ResDance in celebrating and amplifying individual artists’ voices, while also engaging listeners with emergent ideas and practices central to dance research. Through the conversation, they consider the podcast as a site of practice, reflectingon its value in articulating how dance is situated within wider research contexts, while foregrounding the ongoing contribution ResDance makes to the broader dance field.
Biography
Dr Gemma Harman is an Independent Dance Educator,Researcher and Podcaster. She originally trained as a dancer before specialising in areas of dance, music and dance medicine and science. Gemma has a BA (Hons) in Performing Arts (majoring in Dance) from Middlesex Universityand an MSc Dance Science and PhD Dance and Music Science from Trinity Laban (supported by the Emerton Christie Charity). She has extensive lecturing experience as a teacher, lecturer and researcher, delivering a range of specialisms, where she continues to work across vocational and Higher Education settings as a researcher and lecturer. Until recently (January 2026), Gemma was a Senior Lecturer in Dance and Dance Science, BSc Programme Leader and MA ProgrammeCo-ordinator at the University of Chichester. Gemma won the One Dance UK ‘Research In Dance Award’ in 2025 for her work with ResDance™.
Website and Social media channels
@resdancepodcast
Other relevant links
https://www.routledge.com/Practitioner-Perspectives-on-Dance-Research/Harman/p/book/9781032566795
https://www.chi.ac.uk/news/award-winning-gemma-celebrates-one-dance-uk-win/
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ResDance Series 9: Episode 10: The mental side of injury with Carl Bescoby
In this episode, Carl shares insights from his work as a psychologist, practitioner, educator, and researcher. Drawing on his interest in the intersection of injury, pain, recovery, and performance, the conversation explores the psychological dimensions of injury and rehabilitation. Through exploringthe psychosocial models of injury and the role stress plays in injury occurrence, we discuss the importance of supporting individuals through the emotional experiences that accompany injury.
We explore barriers to implementing psychological support across different contexts, common misunderstandings around emotional responses to injury, and the challenges of translating psychological language and concepts for diversepopulations. Carl also highlights the need for greater attention to psychological care during rehabilitation, which is often overshadowed by an emphasis solely on physical recovery.
Through his work, Carl is committed to shaping a culture of greater understanding and change. He shares insights into his workshops, the development of evidence-based resources, and the delivery of individually tailored coaching. A key takeaway from the episode is that injury—or anunintended pause—can become an opportunity for personal growth, enabling a more holistic approach to recovery.
Biography
Dr Carl Bescoby is an injury psychologist working at the intersection of injury, health, wellbeing, and performance. Carl works with injured athletes & performers through one-to-one consultancy and provides group workshops/psychoeducation to help cultivate a greater awareness of the psychosocial components of injury and rehabilitation to enable positive adjustment and growth throughout recovery and return to activity. Carl also delivers training to support healthcare professionals, clinicians, and physiotherapists with evidence-based psychological practice to support the mental health and wellbeing needs of service users. 
https://www.theinjurypsychologist.com/about
Contact details
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinjurypsychologist/?hl=en
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ResDance Series 9: Episode 9: Breaking Barriers: Racial Equity in Dance with Imogen Aujla and Stacey Green  
In this second episode with ResDance, Stacey and Imogen explore their thinking around racial equity in dance. Drawing on the work of the TIRED movement and their three-year RED Research Project into representation in dance training and education, they share key findings and discuss the development of an evidence-informed framework for institutions. 
The conversation centres on the barriers faced by those from the global majority in accessing training and education, the role of research in driving meaningful change, and the need for greater transparency, leadership, and collective responsibility across the sector. Stacey and Imogen reflect on positive institutional shifts emerging through the RED project; the wider work of TIRED; celebrate the ongoing impact of TIRED Ambassadors and young people paving the way for change and share recent milestones — including the launch of the TIRED Connect platform and two academic publications. This episode is one of hope, responsibility, and a shared commitment to collective change. Biography: Imogen Aujla 
Imogen is a dance psychology specialist from Dance in Mind. Her work covers research, lecturing, resource development, and psychological coaching. She originally trained as a dancer before specialising in dance science and later dance psychology. She has a PhD in dance psychology and a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Prior to going freelance, Imogen was a Senior Lecturer in Dance and Course Coordinator of the MSc Dance Science at the University of Bedfordshire. As well as her project-based freelance work, she is a regular guest tutor on the MAS Dance Science at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and is a peer tutor for the mental health charity Mind. Imogen is passionate about research that contributes to social justice and that has practical impact. 
www.danceinmind.org 
Contact details: 
Facebook: @danceinmindUK 
Instagram: @dance_in_mind_UK 
Website: www.danceinmind.org  
Published sources:
https://www.danceinmind.org/post/let-s-talk-about-representation-in-dance 
https://www.tiredmovement.com/research-project/ 
https://www.tiredmovement.com/imogen-aujla/ 
Biography: Stacey Green  
Stacey Green is the co-founder of both the TIRED Movement (Trying to Improve Racial Equality in Dance) and the UK’s new inclusive dance brand, Shades Dancewear. She is also the principal of a well-established dance school with over 30yrs teaching experience. She currently delivers talks all over the UK, raising awareness about the importance of racial representation in dance education. Stacey is the brainchild of the RED (Representation and Equity in Dance) research project, which has developed a framework that teachers, schools, and colleges can use to enable them to become diverse and inclusive. 
Shades Dancewear is the first UK dance brand to offer four shades in 5 products in all children’s and adult sizes.  Shades are now selling their products to a number of West End shows including MJ Musical, Starlight Express and Hamilton the Musical. Using their unique new face recognition app “Shadify”, dancers can now find the perfect shade to match their skin tone before they buy, allowing dancers to embrace their ethnicity, and retain their identity. 
Contact details: 
[email protected]  
@movementtired on Instagram  

TIRED Movement on Facebook 

www.tiredmovement.com 

https://tiredconnect.com/ 

Other social media handles: 
[email protected] 

@shadesdancewear on Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, Pinterest 

www.shades-dancewear.com 

Other related links:  
Two published papers from the RED project: 

https://accscience.com/journal/AC/3/1/10.36922/ac.3165 
https://accscience.com/journal/AC/articles/online_first/4709 
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ResDance Series 9: Episode 8: The menstrual cycle in pedagogical contexts: a shared responsibility towards sustainable body literacy and agency with Clarisse Roud
In this episode, Clarisse shares insights into her background and work as a movement artist, educator, and researcher, focusing on female-related challenges within pedagogical contexts. Through her teaching practices, we explore how critical pedagogy shapes her work and supports individuals in finding their voice and agency. Drawing on her research interests, Clarisse discusses her MA dissertation and the need for greater acknowledgment of menstrual cycle symptoms, particularly in relation to sustaining training and overall wellbeing. She advocates for holistic, responsive approaches that honour individual needs and promote self-understanding, positioning the studio as a progressive space that actively supports the female student.
Biography
Clarisse Roud is a Swiss-born, London-based movement artist and educator working internationally. She holds apostgraduate qualification in Dance Education from London Studio Centre, graduating with distinction, and her work focuses on addressing female-related challenges within the pedagogical context.
With a steadfast commitment to supporting pre-vocational dancers in their artistic journeys, Clarisse is dedicated to evolving contemporary dance education in ways that empower dancers to develop both technical proficiency and a deeply authentic personal voice. Her approach is grounded in humanistic, critical, activist, and feminist pedagogical principles, fostering environments in which dancers grow into articulate and confident movers—aware of their strengths, responsive to their sensations, and capable of making artistic choices with intention and clarity.
Clarisse strongly advocates for consent-based, holistic approaches that honour and respond to individual needs. Her pioneering research, co-authored with Dr Nicky Keay and Kim Hutt, into menstrual cycle-aware dance practices was presented at the prestigious 35th IADMS Annual Conference, with publication forthcoming.
Contact details
Website https://www.clarisseroud.com 
Emails: [email protected]
Please share this episode with students, educators, practitioners, performers, and interdisciplinary researchers curious to learn more about dance research in action.