Christy Adair - Publications and Papers
Books
Dancing the Black Question: The Phoenix Dance Company
Phenomenon, Dance Books 2007
Women and Dance: sylphs and sirens, Macmillan 1992
Papers in journals
‘Diving into the Fire: Considerations of Gender and Ethnicity in
relation to Phoenix Dance Company’ Discourses in Dance
2008/9
‘‘Phoenix Perspectives: African-American Influences on a British
Dance Company’,Forecast: Forum for European Contributions to
African American Studies, Embodying Liberation eds., Dorothea
Fischer-Homung and Alison D. Goeller, Vol 4, pp 125-134, 2001
‘An Interview with Isaac Julien’ Forecast: Embodying Liberation
eds., Dorothea Fischer-Homung and Alison D. Goeller, Vol 4, pp
135-144, 2001
‘Transitional Moments’ Dance Theatre Journal Vol 22 No 4 p
50-53, 2008
‘Perceptions of the Phoenix Dance Company’ ADAD @ Dance UK,
2006
‘States of Play: Dialogue between Christy Adair and Doran
George’ Foundation for Community Dance Website 2002, first
published in Animated, autumn, 1999
‘Reading of identities and physicality in the work of Jonzi D’,
2001, and Kretanja, Zagreb, No3/4 p37-41, 2005
‘Reviewing the Reviews: Issues of Criticism in Relation to
Phoenix Dance’, Dancing in the Millennium Conference, Washington
USA, pp 1-5, 2000
‘Reviewing the Reviews: a critical response to a British Dance
Company’, Terpsichore, Denmark, No 4, pp 22-24, 2000
‘Black Looks: the Representation of Black Dancers’ first
published in collection of papers from Move into the Future
Conference (international) University College, Bretton Hall, 1995.
Excerpt published by Association of Dance of the African Diaspora
(ADAD) Resource Papers, 2000
‘Resistant Revelations, femininity, sexuality and physicality –
Springloaded 1999’, Dance Theatre Journal, Vol 15, No 1, 1999 pp
12-15
‘Two into the making of three: Isaac Julien’s new film with
Ralph Lemon, Bebe Miller and Cleo Sylvestre: An interview with
Isaac Julien by Christy Adair and Ramsay Burt’, Dance Theatre
Journal, Vol 15 No 2, 1999
‘The Critical Response Conference’, Dance UK News,December,
1999
‘Reflections on the Greenhouse Effect’, Dance UK News, December,
1998
‘rebellion against stereotype’: Christy Adair talks to Trisha
Brown’, Dance Theatre Journal Vol 13, No 2, pp 50-51, 1996
‘Dance for Boys’ Fairplay: Gender and Physical Education, Ed.
Lena Milosevic, Leeds City Council, Department of Education:
Education and Development in Gender Equality, 1995.
‘no concessions to stereotypes: Candoco Dance Company’Dance
Theatre Journal Vol. 10 No 1 Autumn 1992, p 4 - 16
‘Interview with Bebe Miller’, Northern Star September 1992
‘Postmodernism - Feminism - Dance’, Discussion Papers, West
Sussex Institute Postmodern Summer School, 1991
‘Beginning Again: New Roles for Women and Men in Dance
1970s,European Dance Historians Conference, Leuven, 1991
‘Beyond Contemporary Dance’ Everywoman February, 1991, pp
16-17
‘Dancing Hierarchies - who dominates?’ MTD Winter 1990, pp
24-28
International Lectures
‘Open Form Composition – Critical Dialogues’, Theatre Faculty,
ArTEZ Dance Unlimited, Arnhem, Nederland, December 2008
‘British Contemporary Dance in Context', Faculdade Motricidade
Humana, Lisbon, Portugal, October 2007
‘Considerations of Gender and Ethnicity in relation to Phoenix
Dance Company’, Scopic Bodies: Dance Studies Seminar Series,
Auckland University, New Zealand, September 2007
‘Diving into the Fire’ – gender and ethnicity in dance, for the
Theatre Department, Staff and postgraduate research lecture series,
University of Utrecht, November 2006.
International Teaching
A member of a selected small team of senior staff from York St
John to deliver on a key part of the University's
internationalisation strategy. I taught university lecturers
studying the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, funded
by the British’s Council’s England-Africa Partnership Scheme, in
Kenya hosted by Kabarak University June 2007 – October 2008.
Invited by Joao de Silva, Director of the Dance Unlimited MA
course, to contribute to the Open Form Composition course at one of
the leading arts schools, ArTEZ, Arnhem, Nederland.
National Events
Reclaiming the Requiem – residency and conference 2008 curated
by live artist Doran George where I presented an informal
performance ‘Fragmented memories – re-presenting past images’
Chisenhale Dance Space, London, February 2008. I chaired a panel
with international choreographer Rosemary Lee and live artist\Ray
Jacobs at Queen Mary’s University, London, April 2008 which was
attended by an audience of renowned scholars and artists.
Marked Series Since 1986 and Since 1992: Doran George –
presentation at Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, May 2002.
Arnolfini is one of the leading arts centres in the country which
has an international reputation for live art and film.
See Hear Series at the prestigious South Bank Centre, London for
choreographers, filmmakers and musicians – Rosemary Lee:
choreographic insights April, 2001
Chair for critical response session for Young Blood Festival at
Yorkshire Dance Centre, 2000. Young Blood is a European,
transcultural network committed to developing the work of young
artists and new work across borders.
Chair for States of Play, an international choreographic
platform with internationally renowned choreographers Jennifer
Monson and Yvonne Meiers from New York at Chisenhale Dance Space,
London, January 2000.
Chaired Cultural Contexts/Critical Distance Panel for Phoenix
Dance Company at Ballroom Blitz, a prestigious cultural platform
run by the South Bank Centre, London with Brenda Dixon-Gottschild,
Temple University, Sanjay Roy Editor Dance Now, Allen Robertson
Dance Critic Time Out and Greg Nash, British Council, 1999.
Consultancy and Media Input
I am an expert on issues related to gender and ethnicity in
dance and am consulted by national organisations including the Arts
Council of England and the media. My role as a consultant is
demonstrated in the following roles:
Phoenix in Motion: Research and Evaluation Document for Phoenix
Dance Company, 2003
Director of Vincent Dance Company who are a leading
British Company touring internationally
Member of Dance and Diversity Focus Group (Irie and City and
Islington College) London
Consultant and facilitator for Lincolnshire Dance, a national
dance agency, 2000 for a dance residency throughout the county.
Writer Sol B River directed a programme on dance company RJC for
the Reality Bites Series for Channel 4 for which I was a
consultant.
I was a reviewer for Kaleidoscope, Radio 4 from 1995 until 1999
when the programme ceased. Some of the programmes included an
Interview with Jackie Christie reviewing Emilyn Claid’s
Choreographic work, a review of Northern Ballet Theatre’s Dracula
live at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, a review of Northern
Ballet Theatre’s Giselle and a review of Javier de Frutos’
work.
Public Performance of Work
Whilst work is primarily text based Christy is also engaged in
performance. My ability to work across academia and professional
practice allows me to make significant interventions in both
research and pedagogy. My ongoing collaboration with live artist
Doran George, Los Angeles is informed by earlier experiences with
artists including Candoco an international integrated company and
renowned choreographers Rosemary Lee and Yvonne Meiers.
Research project site specific and installation work with live
artist Doran George, Wales, Bristol, London and Norfolk 2001 –
2004
Performer Candoco (Leeds residency)
Devised work performed at the Riley Theatre, Leeds and Royal
Festival Hall, South Bank, London 1992
Performer in dance and sculpture collaboration with
choreographer Cecilia MacFarlane York City Art Gallery 1990
Conferences
Peer-reviewed Papers presented and Published
‘Phoenix Perspectives: African-American Influences on a British
Dance Company’, Forecast: Forum for European Contributions to
African American Studies, Embodying Liberation eds., Dorothea
Fischer-Homung and Alison D. Goeller, Vol 4, pp. 125-134, 2001
‘Reviewing the Reviews: Issues of Criticism in Relation to
Phoenix Dance’, Dancing in the Millennium Conference, Washington
USA, pp. 1-5, 2000
Women in the Community Conference University College
Scarborough
‘Black Looks: the Representation of Black Dancers’ July 1995
Move into the Future Conference, University College, Bretton
Hall,
‘Representation of the Female Dancer’ pp. 6-11, April 1995
Redressing the Sylph Conference, Yorkshire Dance Centre
‘Viewing Women’ 1994 ed. Ramsay Burt
‘Viewing Women’ Body Matters ed. Celia Brackenridge Leisure
Studies Association Publications No 47, 1993
‘Postmodernism - Feminism - Dance’, Discussion Papers
West Sussex Institute Postmodern Summer School
1991
‘Beginning Again: New Roles for Women and Men in Dance in the
1970s’
European Dance Historians Conference, Leuven Women in Dance’
1991
Conference Papers Presented
‘Distance Travelled: PCAP and its impact in Kenya’ with Mike
Calvert, York St John University and Serah Waitiki, Moi University,
Kenya, Department for Innovations, Universities and Skills
Partnerships in Africa, Imperial College, London, September
2008
‘Breaking the Mould: A Paradigm Shift in Dance History’,
Teaching, Learning and Research Conference, York St John
University, September 2007
‘Researching the History of Black British Dancers’ Black Britons
and Dance Conference, De Montfort University, June 2007
‘Questions of Identity – Shifting Perceptions of Phoenix Dance
Company’
Research Series York St John, November 2005
‘Reading of identities and physicality in the work of Jonzi D’
Research Series Hull University, 2000
‘Cultural Difference, Identities and Physicality’ MoMentum
Conference Manchester Metropolitan University, September 1999
‘Kick Off’ Issues of ‘Race’ and Gender in dance/football
project’, interview with Pamela Johnson of Phoenix Dance Company,
Women in the Community Conference, University College Scarborough,
July 1998
‘Phoenix Dance Company: Past, Present and Future’ Kings Manor,
York, organised by Centre for Women’s Studies, University of York,
November 1998
‘Desiring Dance: Dancing Desire’,
York University Day School, November 1995
‘Images of Women in Dance’, Women in the Community Conference,
University College Scarborough, September 1995
‘Representation of the Female Dancer’
Women and Performance: Rethinking the Politics of Representation
Conference,
De Monfort University, Bedford College, 1995
‘Viewing Women’, Women’s Studies Network Conference, London,
1994
‘Romance in the Ballet’, Romance Revisited Conference, Lancaster
University, 1993
‘Colonised Bodies’ Current Issues in the Anthropology of Dance
Colloquium, University of London, Goldsmiths College, 1991
‘Women in Dance in the Seventies’ Women for Change Conference,
Glasgow University, 1990
‘The Second Sex’ New Dance: Critical Question and Frames of
Resistance Conference, Leeds, 1986
Journal Editor, Board Member
Editor Dancelines, Journal for Research in Dance Education
Editorial Board Member Choreographic Practices Journal