Mr Stephen Mason

I teach across a variety of modules on the BA (Hons) Dance and BA (Hons) Dance and Drama courses. My areas of interest include:

• choreography and performance
• dance technique and training
• employability, leadership and professional practice
• teaching and leading in community dance and dance in education settings.

As Head of Department of Performing Arts, I work with colleagues and students across the department to support the student experience and development of our Future Skills curriculum to develop our students' understanding and experience of the performing arts industry. I am also one of the University's internal assessors for the Higher Education Academy's fellowships.

I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) awarded in recognition for collaboration and co-creation of curriculum and assessment with students and the development and application of inclusive practices. I am particularly interested in working with students to co-create curriculum and assessment, decolonise the curriculum, and embed employability. I have presented the impact of this work at university and conference events, including:

• Mason, S. “You cannot force someone to learn: successful programme transformation through co-creation, employment-led learning and inclusive leadership” at Higher Education Institutional Research Network Annual Conference 2023 Addressing Equity in Higher Education. Through institutional Research, Kingston University, London, September 8, 2023
• Mason, S. "Inclusive Education: provocation and workshop" at CHEAD Conference 2023 (Council for Higher Education in Art and Design), Kingston School of Art, London, March 16, 2023.
• Mason, S & Reid T. "The Race Degree Awarding Gap: Case Study: BA (Hons) Dance" at Learning and Teaching Enhancement Centre's The Race Degree Awarding Gap event, Kingston University, London, October 26, 2022.
• James, A., Jarvis, B., Mason, S., Munday, K., Webster, J. "Maximising students' potential: developing graduate confidence, employability, and future skills" at Festival of Learning 2022, Kingston University, London, June 24, 2022.
• James, A., Mason, S., Munday, K., Webster, J. "Empowering students through assessment: co-creation and collaboration of assessment and learning" at Festival of Learning 2022, Kingston University, London, June 24, 2022.
• Mason, S. "Embedding graduate attributes and competencies throughout the student journey" at Kingston University's Employability Summit, Kingston University, London, March 10, 2021

I hold and have held a range of external examiner and validation panel member roles:

• External Examiner for BA (Hons) Dance, University of Salford (October 2023 – present)
• External Examiner for BA (Hons) Dance, De Montford University (October 2022 – present)
• External Examiner for FDA, BA (Hons), & BA (Hons) top up in Professional and Commercial Dance, Shock Out Arts, validated by the University of Bolton (April 2020 – August 2024)
• Validation Panel Member for MA Dance, London College of Music (University of West London) & Singapore Raffles Music College, (May 2023)
• Validation Panel Member for BA(Hons) Dance Performance, Liverpool Media Academy & University of Northampton, (May 2021)

Qualifications

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• PGCE including Qualified Teacher Status, Institute of Education, UCL

Courses taught

• Dance BA (Hons)
• Dance and Drama BA (Hons)

My professional practice spans learning and teaching and dance. This includes working with a variety of dance organisations supporting the community dance and dance in education sectors. Currently, this includes working as a Teacher Training Mentor for the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and as a university internal assessor for the Higher Education Academy's fellowships.

Previous dance companies and organisations I have worked for include:

• Dance Artist (Youth Programme) - Learning and Participation, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
• Trinity Laban Youth Dance Company, Artistic Director
• Danielle Teale Dance, Dance Artist Collaborator for Dance for Parkinson's programme
• Greenwich Dance, Dance Artist for Community programme
• Richard Alston Dance Company, Animateur
• Dance Umbrella, Deputy Choreographer (assistant to Royston Maldoom OBE): Overture 2012
• Loop Dance Company, Dancer
• The Place, Dance Development Officer
• Various specialist schools and colleges

Selected choreographic work:

• Mason, S. (chor.) (2020) Speak Out? Performed by Trinity Laban Youth Dance Company [Broadway Theatre, Catford, London. March 2020]
• Mason, S. (chor.) (2020) What is in your life's blueprint? Performed by Accelerate (Trinity Laban Youth programme) [Laban Theatre, London as part of U.Dance. March 2020]
• Skapin, Jaka. (m. dir.) & Teale, D. (chor.) (2019) A Single Thread - CID Project, Dancing with Parkinson's. Performed by Stephen Mason as part of a collaborative cast. [Popular Union, London & Performance Film. July 20, 2019]
• Mason, S. (chor.) (2017) Atten ... Shun! Performed by a community cast as part of Rosie Kay Dance Company's '5 Soldier's' tour. [Yeomanry House Drill Hall, London, as part of Sadler's Wells Theatre's off-site programme. September 2017].
• Mason, S. (chor.) (2015) Coniungere: Music and Dance Collaboration. Performed by Lewisham Southwark College and Rose Bruford College. Commissioned by Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance [Laban Theatre, London. March 2015]
• Mason, S. (chor.) (2014) Those Who Dare to Fall. Performed by Modus Dance Company [Laban Theatre, London. February 2014. Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome. June 2014]
• Mason, S. (deputy chor.) (2008) Overture 2012. Performed by mass youth dance cast as part of Dance Umbrella 2008 (assistant to Royston Maldoom OBE) [Royal Albert Hall, London. November 2008].

Professional and scholarly affiliations

• External Examiner: BA(Hons) Dance, University of Salford (2023 - present)
• External Examiner: BA(Hons) Dance, De Montford University (2022 - present)
• External Examiner: Foundation, BA(Hons) & BA(Hons) Top Up Professional and Commercial Dance, ShockOut Arts / University of Bolton (2020 - 2024)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA)
• Member: Safer Dance: Dance School Safeguarding Working Group (2022 - present)
• Member: One Dance UK's Children and Young People's Dance Expert Panel (2016 - 2022)
• Validation Panel Member for MA Dance, London College of Music (University of West London) & Validation Panel Singapore Raffles Music College, (May 2023)
• Validation Panel Member: BA(Hons) Dance Performance, Liverpool Media Academy & University of Northampton, (May 2021)
• Co-opted Board Member: National Dance Teachers Association (2014-2016)

I currently hold the leadership position of Head of Department of Performing Arts supporting teaching and academic citizenship, student experience, research, knowledge exchange, and Higher Education pedagogy. I am also a mentor within the university community.

I am a Trustee for the Dance Network Association, and have previously been a Co-opted Board Member for the National Dance Teachers Association, and a Member of One Dance UK's Expert Panel for Children and Young People's Dance.

Qualifications and expertise

• Core Skills in Coaching For Leaders & Managers: Guildhall School, London

University responsibilities

• Head of Department of Performing Arts (September 2022 - present) / Interim Joint Head of Department of Performing Arts (Sept 2022 - March 2023)
• Lead Academic reviewer, University Standing Validation Panel (2025 - present)
• Course Leader: BA(Hons) Dance (2018 - 2023)
• University Liaison Officer for Edinburgh College (2018-2019)

Public and Civic roles

• Trustee: Dance Network Association (2025-present)
• Member: One Dance UK's Children and Young People's Dance Expert Panel (2016 - 2022)
• Co-opted Board Member: National Dance Teachers Association (2014-2016)