Dr Elena Catalano
Contact
- Email: e.catalano@kingston.ac.uk
- Location: Penrhyn Road
- Faculty: Kingston School of Art
- School: School of Arts
- Department: Department of Performing Arts
About
I am a dance scholar interested in the historical and anthropological study of movement and performance practices. In particular, I look at the transnational circulation of dancers and dances and research how this impacts identity and belief. I am interested in investigating the interplay between socio-political conditions and subjective embodiment and experience. I mainly focus on South Asian dance, but have done research also on African and European traditional dances. I have extensive experience in ethnographic methods. I have joined Kingston University Dance Department in 2014 and I teach dance anthropology, ethnography, post-colonial theories, research methods, as well as Indian classical dance (odissi) technique and yoga across all levels. I am presently investigating spirituality and wellbeing in the practice of odissi, and developing a research proposal on the perception of non-Asian individuals professionally involved in the practice of Indian classical dance both in India and in the UK.
Academic responsibilities
Dance lecturer
Qualifications
- PhD Ethnochoreology/Ethnomusicology, Durham University (2010-2014) (fully funded by Durham University)
- MA Dance Cultures, Histories and Practices, University of Surrey (2009-2010) (partially funded by Surrey University)
- MA in Cultural Management, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (2008-2009)-(fully funded by Bollenti Spiriti Puglia)
- MA in Anthropological Theories and Methods, Universita' La Sapienza (2005-2007)
- BA in Anthropological Theories and Methods, Universita' La Sapienza (2001-2004)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy