Mrs Marie Hay

Marie’s current research focuses on the use of speech in the performance of contemporary dance. Taking a practice research approach, she has developed an improvised ‘speakingdance’ practice in which the dancer tunes into their sense of themselves to disclose their being through the rhythm of speech and dance. The practice has been performed and taught internationally.

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. In 2009 Marie led the validation of the Performing Arts undergraduate degree at DMU. She went on to initiate outreach work with schools and colleges across the school of visual and performing arts and is now the Programme Leader for undergraduate dance programmes. 

As Programme Leader, Marie has been instrumental in the delivery of de-colonising DMU objectives in dance. This work has been disseminated as a model of good practice.

Institute of Drama, Dance and Performance Studies
Institute of Creative Technologies (IOCT)

View a full listing of Marie Hay's publications and outputs.

My general research interests in dance include the use of speech in performance; discussions of ontology; autobiographical practices: and ideas about dancer identities.

As a Senior Lecturer in Dance at De Montfort University, Marie teaches dance practice and practice research to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance, De Montfort University (first class)

MA Dance, De Montfort University

PGCertHE, De Montfort University      

Conference papers:

HAY, M. (2015) The performance of being: the emerging practice and perception of a speaking female contemporary dancer at the Boundaries: Transgression, Authority,
Performance conference, De Montfort University, 22 June 2015.

HAY, M. (2011) Designing assessment for autonomous learning at the Democratic learning conversations conference, De Montfort University, 16 December 2011. Research funded by the Centre for Excellence in Performance Arts and a Research in Teaching Award. 

HAY, M. (2011) Interpreting embodied dance practice at the Dance and Somatic Practices conference, Coventry University, 8-10 July 2011.  Research funded by the Centre for Excellence in Performance Arts and a Research in Teaching Award. Conference attendance funded by faculty research committee.

HAY, M. & MATHERS, L. (2011) Designing assessment for autonomous learning at the Assessment in Higher Education Conference. University of Cumbria, 6 July 2011. Research funded by a Research in Teaching Award. Conference attendance funded by faculty research committee.

HAY, M. (2009) Assessment and feedback: aligning dance practice with pedagogic research. In: Global Perspectives On Dance Pedagogy: Research And Practice.  De Montfort University, Leicester, UK 25-27 June 2009.  Illinois, University of Illinois Press, pp. 92-97.  Research funded by the Centre for Excellence in Performance Arts. 

HAY, M. (2009) Assessment and feedback for autonomous learning in dance practice at the Eighth CLTR Learning & Teaching Research Conference, Edge Hill University, 3 June 2009.  Research funded by the Centre for Excellence in Performance Arts and a Research in Teaching Award. 

HAY, M. (2008) Assessment for reflective learning in the creative arts, at 15th International Conference on Learning, University of Illinois, Chicago. June 2008. Research funded by the Centre for Excellence in Performance Arts. 

Conference presentations

Solo performances of ‘speakingdance’ have been shared in De Montfort University’s Borderlines Conferences and Cultural Exchanges Festival. The first international performance was at the Performance Philosophy conference in Prague which then prompted invitations for Marie to perform in Croatia, teach in Beijing and collaborate with the Philosophy and Visual Arts Research Centre at Kings College, London.

HAY, M. & MATHERS, L. (2012) ‘Designing assessment for autonomous learning’, Practitioner Research in Higher Education. 6 (12) pp. 95-106.

HAY, M. (2012) ‘Interpreting embodied dance practice’, The Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices. 3 (1-2) pp. 201-214.

HAY, M. (2010) Changing positions: dance and the FE-HE transition in the UK. PALATINE, Lancaster.

HAY, M. (2009) Assessment and feedback: aligning dance practice with pedagogic research. In: Global Perspectives On Dance Pedagogy: Research And Practice. De Montfort University, Leicester, UK 25-27 June 2009. Illinois, University of Illinois Press, pp. 92-97.

HAY, M. (2008) ‘Assessment for reflective learning in the creative arts’, The international journal of learning. 15 (7) pp. 131-138.

Consultant for Babington College (2012-13) advising on strategies to improve students performance through feedback and peer mentoring.

Assessor for BBC performing arts fund (2011)

HAY, M. (2010) Changing positions: dance and the FE-HE transition in the UK. PALATINE, Lancaster.

Changing Positions was initiated by SCODHE (Standing Conference on Dance in Higher Education) in conjunction with PALATINE, and funded by a PALATINE Development Award.

Autonomous learning and emotional intelligence, funded by a DMU Teacher Fellow grant. January 2012 – July 2012

Reviewer - Assessment in Higher Education Conference (2013)

Reviewer - International Journal of learning (2008) 

PhD title

Practicing speech in live contemporary dance: disclosing the dancer

Abstract

The thesis argues the case for a dance practice that uses speech and autobiographical approaches to disclose a dancer’s being. The improvised practice tunes in to the dancer’s silent thinking. In the rhythm between speech and dance, the movement reveals its own vocal ontology. Her vulnerable narratives find a discourse in the quality of her dancing. The dancer’s everydayness emerges and the audience find resonance in her becoming.

Professor. Sophy Smith, Dr Martin Leach, Dr Kerry Francksen