Balance and Dance Performance

My favourite course memories include planning an original intervention for undergraduate dancers in a randomised controlled trial and designing a novel balance scoring system. I particularly enjoyed discussing the design and planning stages with my supervisory team and sharing the results of the studies at international conferences.

Completing a PhD has been an essential part of my career in HE. It has helped me to develop my research experience and profile and enhanced my supervision skills for undergraduate and postgraduate students’ work. My PhD journey has increased my knowledge and experience of the rigour and detail required in doctoral research in the field of dance science and, importantly, this has benefited my current work which involves the strategic development of training for dance artists.

As Dean of Faculty, my responsibilities include the overall strategic development of programmes, cross faculty relationships between departments, external stakeholders, the industry, and international partners.

One of the highlights of my career has been studying for my PhD alongside a full time job. This was very challenging at times but the skills, and knowledge I gained in my doctoral studies at each stage really influenced my curriculum planning, teaching and dissertation supervision in the field of dance science.

Make the most of all the opportunities you are given at the University of Wolverhampton, in terms of their state of the art facilities, excellent support and supervision from staff, and the opportunities to present your research to students and staff at the university, and the wider international community at conferences.

• Clarke, F., Koutedakis, Y., Wilson, M., and Wyon, M. (in press) Associations between static and dynamic field balance tests in assessing postural stability of female undergraduate dancers. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science
• Clarke, F., Koutedakis, Y., Wilson, M., and Wyon, M. (2020) Bilateral differences in dancers’ dynamic postural stability during jump landings. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 24(4), pp.183-189
• Clarke, F., Koutedakis, Y., Wilson, M., and Wyon, M. (in press) Associations between balance ability and dance performance using field balance tests. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 34(3), pp.154-160
• Clarke, F., Koutedakis, Y., Wilson, M., and Wyon, M. (2018) Balance in dance performance: A systematic review. Medical Problems of Performing Artists. 33(4), pp.276-286