LIISA JAAKONAHO
• Lecturer in Dance Pedagogy
(Theatre Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, 2019 onwards) • Doctoral researcher (Theatre Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, 2015 onwards) • Master of Arts (Goldsmiths, University of London, 2007) I'm a professional of arts pedagogy and research, based in Helsinki, Finland. My background is in performing arts, mental health work and the boundary areas between the arts and social care. Since 2019 I have been working as a Lecturer in Dance Pedagogy at The Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. I am also working on my doctoral research project, in which I investigate ethical questions stemming from my work as a dance pedagogue in disability services. As an educator I specialize in methods of movement improvisation and somatics, performance art, embodiment, therapeutic interaction, special education in the arts, and disability studies. In my pedagogic thinking and practice I am inspired by critical pedagogy and embodied, experiential learning. As a researcher I am particularly interested in questions of diversity and inclusion; challenging fixed categories, dichotomies, and ableist practices. I am also drawn to artistic work that takes place outside traditional art contexts. Through artistic research I aim to make the complexities and potentials of this kind of work visible. |