Marie’s current research focuses on the rhythmic performance of contemporary dance and speech. Taking a practice research approach, she has developed an improvised ‘speakingdance’ practice in which the dancer tunes into their sense of who they are in the moment of practice. The practice can be structured for public sharings to disclose the co-authorship of the practitioner’s and audience member’s life-stories. The practice has been performed and taught internationally.
Marie’s reading of Heidegger has influenced her understanding of speakingdance and brought her into the Origin/Forward\Slash exhibition collaboration. Furthermore, through her collaboration with Dr Martin Leach (De Montfort University) and Dr Louise Douse (University of Bedfordshire), she convened the international From Heidegger to Performance symposium in 2018.Following the symposium, an edited book of the same name will now be published by Rowman and Littlefield in 2023, with a contributing chapter form Marie titled, ‘Moments when I am dancing in relation to others who are hearing: the performance philosophy of a ‘speakingdance’ practice’. This co-edited book (Hay and Leach) will be the first to consider Heidegger’s thinking in a range of performance contexts.
In collaboration with dance practice students and Dr Lucy Mathers, previous research work has resulted in the development of an autonomous learning framework. The framework has been used in dance and media technology at DMU and in the development of a feedback model in secondary education. This work, along with Marie’s research on the assessment and feedback of dance practice has also been presented and published internationally.
Marie lectures in dance practices, feminism and practice research across the undergraduate programmes in dance and the post-graduate programme in Performance Practices at De Montfort University and is the Programme Leader for the undergraduate dance programmes.