Nicky's provocative performance earns coveted DMU scholarship

The provocative feminist theatre work of a Drama graduate at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU), has helped her win a coveted £10,000 scholarship to continue her studies.

While completing her Drama Studies BA (Hons) course at DMU, Nicky Daniels used her own experiences as a woman in her thirties without children to create a series of challenging performances looking at social expectations of motherhood.

Now Nicky, who graduated in 2015 with a first class honours degree, has embarked on an Arts Master’s after winning her scholarship under DMU’s Postgraduate Support Scheme, which is part of a Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) initiative aimed at widening access to taught master’s programmes.

Nicky said: “It has been a very positive start to the year. I was lucky enough to be one of the few students awarded a scholarship, so I am feeling very supported by DMU to continue developing my knowledge and skills.”

Having secured the place on her Master’s, Nicky will be able to build on the work she started on her undergraduate course, which culminated in a 20 minute performance, called Violet, Persephone, Marina and Me, delving deep into exploring her desires, thoughts and fears about motherhood.

With over 300 hours spent on the piece, Nicky first performed it in June during Exit Souls, DMU’s Drama Festival showcasing end of year performances by undergraduate Drama Studies students.

She described the experience as “amazing” and said, “It allowed me to show my own work, build my confidence and perform at a professional level yet in a really secure environment.”

She said, “It has been a very positive start to the year. I was lucky enough to be one of the few students awarded a scholarship, so I am feeling very supported by DMU to continue developing my knowledge and skills.”

Nicky is particularly eager to start the performance series for her Arts MA, which will comprise of four pieces over a two year period, building on her previous work to further explore and challenge society’s expectations of the female body. 

During the summer Nicky worked with Live Artists in the North East of England and is expecting this work to be exhibited next year. She has also collaborated with an East Midlands based photographer, David Wilson Clarke, as part of his series POPA (People of Performance Art).

Nicky plans to apply for a place to study a PhD in late 2017 and aspires towards a career as a Drama lecturer. She says, “I couldn’t have asked for more from my time here at DMU and my tutors have really set me on the path to understanding the practice I want to make.