Statement

I am an independent movement specialist based in Coventry in the West Midlands. Having worked as a practitioner, trainer and project manager for numerous dance and creative education organisations over many years, I am now looking for opportunities to extend my work particularly with young children. I am interested in action research and partnership based opportunities particularly with early years and children with unique needs, alongside teachers and parents but also in a wider learning, health and community contexts.

I have recently completed a course based on developmental movement play with Jabadao and as part of my own action research; I have been investigating how mo movement play can support children with speech and language delays and "fidgety children” in a classroom setting.

I am interested in how movement can support children’s health, development and well-being and believe that creativity can enrich all lives, providing a very powerful learning tool. I specialise in working alongside young children, parents and educators in early year’s and different settings.

For instance ……

• Supporting movement and physical play within a classroom/nursery setting as well as outdoor spaces
• Valuing children’s independent and guided movement explorations Integrating movement with other art forms
• Enriching the new early years foundation stage - supporting creativity, communication skills, physical development etc
• Encouraging spontaneous play and importance of developmental movement
• Supporting the needs of individual children
• Supporting creative interaction between adult and child

I can offer tailor made movement experiences to suit the needs of your setting from short term explorations to longer term action research based projects. In addition, I can support whole centre training for staff and parents incorporating movement, games and creativity to build confidence, team work and curriculum planning.

I always strive for a child-centred, visual and playful approach to my practice, using a range of physical offerings such as music, stories, props and objects to set the scene. I am currently interested in the relationship between speech and language delays and movement and ways to support speaking and listening through child-centred movement play.

Experience

Relevant training

Laban London - Professional Diploma in Community Dance and Movement
Middlesex University - BA Honours Degree in Performance Arts

Oct – Nov 2007 Dance Links – Making Links with Youth Dance England

May – June 2007 CIEH Professional Trainer Certificate (credit)

Jan 07 – Jan 2008 Developmental Movement Play 5 day course with Jabadao

October 2005 Consulting with Children – Coventry City Council

September 2005 Group facilitation skills course – ica:UK

May 2005 May 2005 Partnerships for learning – evaluating arts education projects with Felicity Woolf

May 2005 Study week to see pre-school education in Reggio, Italy

My recent experiences have so far included:

• Action research on developmental movement play – with “fidgety children” in a primary setting and children with speech and language delays with a speech and language support service
• Leading on an action research project, looking at parent and child interaction and spontaneous play in a childrens centre within the Asian community in Leicester
• Collaborative artist exploring emotional intelligence with Years 5 & 6 through movement and outdoor spaces
• Delivering a county wide developmental movement training programme for Warwickshire aimed at early years practitioners and childminders.
• Fundraising and leading on an action research programme in 12 early years settings and co-writing Small steps, Big moves, an early years movement resource pack with Dance 4, Notts EYDCP and Creative Partnerships Nottingham
• Movement consultant for Big Moves family exhibition at the Herbert, Coventry
• Delivering the dance module to PGCE Primary students at the University of Warwick