Host organisation: Indepen-dance
Project title: Gathered Together 2026
Project description

Indepen-dance invites proposals for PhD students interested in exploring aspects of Gathered Together 2026, Indepen-dance's International Inclusive Dance Festival

Proposed areas of research might be:

  • Do choreographers adapt their creative processes to embrace diverse bodies, abilities, and movement vocabularies?
  • How do inclusive dance performances challenge or expand traditional aesthetics of dance?
  • How does collaboration between dancers from different cultural and ability backgrounds generate new artistic forms?
Outputs
We would like to learn more about the impact of the Festival on attending artists to provide rationale for its continued support.
Location
The researcher should attend from 31st August, week of the Festival 2nd - 5th Sept 2026 and meet artists online in advance. Indepen-dance is based in James Street in Bridgeton, Glasgow and runs weekly dance classes across the city, mostly for adults. Remote desk research is anticipated.
Benefits to the researcher

Gathered Together runs every two years and offers a unique insight into Inclusive Dance. International companies are not yet confirmed but have included companies from Columbia, Germany, Spain and New Zealand in the past.

Key relationships

Indepen-dance groups, audiences, local community dance groups of people with and without disabilities, professional disabled dancers.

Timescale

Start date (or must start by): 1st June 2026 (as we will end classes for summer at end June)

End date (or must end by): 18th September to allow for debriefing

Work structure: Flexible

Subject areas

This opportunity would be relevant to the following subject area:

Dance.

Person specification

A1. Knowledge Base
  • Essential: Subject Knowledge; Research methods – theoretical knowledge; Information seeking; Information literacy and management.
  • Desirable: Research methods – Practical application.
A2. Cognitive Abilities
  • Essential: Analysing; Synthesising; Critical thinking; Evaluating; Problem Solving.
A3. Creativity
  • Essential: Inquiring minds.
  • Desirable: Intellectual insight; Innovation; Argument construction.
B1. Personal qualities
  • Essential: Enthusiasm; Integrity; Responsibility.
  • Desirable: Perseverance; Self-confidence; Self-reflection.
B2. Self management
  • Essential: Preparation and prioritisation; Commitment to research; Time management; Responsiveness to change; Work-life balance.
C1. Professional conduct
  • Desirable: Health and Safety; Ethics, principles and sustainability; Respect and confidentiality.
C2. Research management
  • Essential:  Project planning and delivery.
  • Desirable: Research Strategy; Risk management.
D1. Working with others
  • Essential: Team working; Supervision.
  • Desirable: Collegiality; Collaboration; Equality and diversity.
D3. Engagement & impact
  • Desirable: Public engagement.

First published: 9 October 2025

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