School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure

Dr Victoria Thoms

Name	Dr Victoria Thoms
Job Title	Senior Lecturer in Dance Practice and Performance
School	School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure
Tel	01902 32 3289
Email	vickythoms@wlv.ac.uk

Education and qualifications

1984 –1988 Dance and Dance Teacher Diploma, Grant MacEwan Community College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (diploma)
1992 – 1994 Bachelor of Arts, School for Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada
1995 – 1997 Masters Degree, Title: Experiences with Bodyvoice: The University Alberta Cooperative Dance Group.” Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
1998 - 2003 Doctorate, Thesis Title: “Ghostly Present: Bodies, Dancing, Histories.” Institute for Women’s Studies and Theatre Studies, Lancaster University, United Kingdom
2004-2005 Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, University of Wolverhampton.

Membership of Professional Bodies and Learned Societies

Member, The Society for Dance Research, Britain, 1999 to present
Member, SDHS Society for Dance History Scholars, United States, 2001 to present
Member, CORD Congress on Research in Dance, 1999, 2005
Member, Higher Education Academy 2005

Employment history

2003-2002 , Lancaster University,Teaching Fellow, Institute for Women’s Studies. Duties: Course Convenor, Part Two Women’s Studies, Convening Women’s Studies 203, Gender, Sexuality and Visual Culture, Supervising Women’s Studies 300 full unit dissertation
2002-2001,Lancaster University, Seminar Tutor
1997-1995, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Teaching Assistant
Grant MacEwan Community College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Modern Dance Teacher
Orchesis, University of Alberta Modern Dance Club, Edmonton, Canada, Modern Dance Teacher
1992 -1993, Off-Centre Dance Company, The School for the Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University,Dancer

Research and Scholarly Activity

My research employs an intertextual analysis of the moving gendered body. Using a feminist cultural studies approach I read the dancing body across different interdisciplinary, geographic and historical matrices. This approach has led me to investigate specific women in the concert dance genre. I am presently working toward a monograph length intertextual reading of the work and life of Martha Graham.

Public Output from Research and Scholarly Activity

Refereed Articles in Academic Journals

Thoms, Victoria; 2006 “Reading Human Sex: The Challenges of a Feminist Identity through Time and Space;” European Journal of Women’s Studies; 13:4 (357-371)

Non-refereed Articles

Thoms, Victoria; 2005; “Wrong Footing the Audience: Victoria Thoms considers Vincent Dance Theatre’s Ten Years of Provocation”; Dance Theatre Journal; 20:4 Winter (40-44)

Catalogue essays

Thoms, Victoria; 2002; “Displacements” in catalogue to Third Sex by George Chakravarthy, Site Gallery, Sheffield,

Refereed and Published Conference Proceedings

Thoms, Victoria; 2004 Haunting Blood Memory: Martha Graham and the writing of the self, Society of Dance History Scholars, Twenty-Seventh Annual Conference, Durham University North Carolina.

Other refereed Conference Papers

Thoms, Victoria; 2007; “Theorising Graham’s First London Season in 1954: Dancing, Femininity, and Cultural Imperialism;” Society of Dance History Scholars (in collaboration with Congress on Research in Dance, Centre National de la Danse); Paris, France.
Thoms, Victoria and Andrews, Ben; 2007; “Teaching Academic Writing Through Images;” EFYE (European First Year Experience) Conference; Gothenburg University.
Thoms, Victoria; 2006; “The Ghost Body of Martha Graham: Drag, Movement and the Bone-less Body;” Anatomical Theatre Revisited Conference; University of Amsterdam.
Thoms, Victoria; 2006; “Graham and the British: Ghosts of Cultural Imperialism;” Society for Dance Research, Research Conference; London UK.
Thoms, Victoria; 2005; “The Failure to Move: Identity and the Embodiment of the Historical;” Society of Dance History Scholars; Dancing from the Center; Northwestern University, Chicago, USA.
Thoms, Victoria; 2004; “Haunting Blood Memory: Martha Graham and the Writing of the Self, Society of Dance History Scholars;” Celebrating Dance: Celebrating History; Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Thoms, Victoria; 2002; “Haunting the Dead: Femininity, Drag, History in an encounter with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo;” Society of Dance History Scholars; Dance and the City Conference; Temple University, Philadelphia, USA.
Thoms, Victoria; 2000; “Strange Dinner Companions: Ghosts, Da Vinci’s Last Supper and Yolande Snaith Theatredance’s Blind Faith;” Graduate conference Dance Under Construction; University of California, Riverside, USA.

Reviews Articles

Thoms, Victoria; 2002; Review of Dance Space/Architecture Working Group; Dancing Corporealities Conference; Society for Dance Research Newsletter.
Thoms, Victoria; 1999; Testimonial Culture and Feminist Agendas Conference in Review; Women’s Studies Network Newsletter.

Teaching

Main areas of teaching interests: Western Dance History, Dance and Gender, Dance and Race, Dance and Cultural Studies, Poststructural Feminist Engagements with Cultural Phenomena, Feminist Theory, Choreography and Devising, New Strategies in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and Dance Research Methods.

Previous Modules Taught: Dance and Cultural Studies (1^st yr), Movers and Shakers (Dance History Module) (1^st yr.), Personal and Professional Development (1^st yr), Dance Journalism( 2^nd yr), Research Methods (2^nd yr), Dance Innovators (3^rd yr) Dissertation Projects (3^rd yr) and Choreographic Processes 3: Devising and Performing (3^rd yr).

Pedagogic Interests

Main areas of interest: Facilitating Academic Writing (Academic Literacies Approach), Implementing use of VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments) in Dance Teaching Environment, Developing Reflective Teaching Practice.

Pursuit of interests: Completion in 2006 of Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Research project undertaken with SSPAL (School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure) Learning Coordinator Ben Andrews to facilitate academic writing for first year dance students using Virtual Learning Environments. Member of *Pathfinder Project* (through Higher Education Academy) implementing first year student learning through online personal portfolios.

Outputs:Paper presentation of research into teaching academic writing to 1^st yr dance students through VLEs (with SSPAL Learning Coordinator Ben Andrews) at European First Year Experience Conference, Gothenburg Sweden.

Membership of University Commitees

2004-present

Research Ethics Committee
Academic Research Committee

Administrative roles

2004-present

Team Liaison to Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

Relevant External Activities

2004 – present, Member of Executive Committee of Society for Dance Research and Newsletter Editor.

Media Experience

2005- present, Director of 3^rd year Dance Performance, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, UK

Research Grants and Awards

2005, Promising Young Researcher Scheme, University of Wolverhampton (£5000)
1998-2001, (ORS) Overseas Research Scholarship (grant to only pay home student fees)
1992-1994, (SUCA) Senate Undergraduate Committee Award, Simon Fraser University ($1000)
1993, Bice Caple Award, Simon Fraser University (Outstanding Contribution to the School for the Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University) ($1000)
1990, Dorothy Harris Award, University of Alberta. (Outstanding Contribution to Orchesis, University of Alberta Modern Dance Club) ($600)

Choreographic and Creative Achievements

Developed and implemented the founding of Bodyvoice Dance Improvisation Group, University of Alberta, Canada in 1995. Nine group members attended the international Women’s Studies conference Transformations: Thinking Through Feminism at Lancaster University, United Kingdom in 1997. Funding to make this trip implemented through corporate sponsorship and collective fundraising.
Contributed choreographic work for Dance Motif, the annual performance of Orchesis, The University of Alberta Dance Club, 1995, 1996 and 1997.
Choreographic work Saturday Night Rossini selected for choreographic showcase at vetted competition of American Dance Festival West Conference, Weber State University, Utah, 1993