In this episode, Maggie Morris talks about Safe in Dance International. This is a wonderful organization that works to promote safe and healthy dance practice worldwide. Maggie provides a brief summary of the tools and resources that they have available for dancers and dance teachers. In addition to being the Co-Founder of Safe in Dance International, Maggie is also a dance educator and an arts consultant.
Maggie's interest in healthy dance practice stems from her career as a dancer, choreographer, artistic director and dance educator. She began her career in New York where she danced with several companies including the Murray Louis Dance Company, where she was a soloist touring internationally. She also worked with Alwin Nikolais, Placido Domingo and Dave Brubeck and performed in musical theatre, film and television. Maggie has also been a guest artist in residence for dance companies, schools and colleges throughout the world. On her return to England in 1990 Maggie took up the position of Artistic Director at Phoenix Dance Company, and international touring repertory company. With Phoenix she noted the high levels of injury and illness and worked with Jiannis Koutadakis and other health professionals to develop programmes and support systems within her company to improve dancer's fitness levels, reduce injury ease the pressures of performance. This research on the company contributed to the developments in Dance UK's Healthier Dance Programme.
After leaving Phoenix Maggie focussed her work more on dance education and training and as well as delivering training in technique, choreographer and repertory she was the Head of Undergraduate Studies at Laban, London from 1998 – 2000.
Over the past 18 years Maggie's has balanced her career between dance educator, consultant and healthy dance advocate. As such her work has ranged from working with the UK government to support the improvement of performing arts training in the UK, becoming an HMI in 2001 on a team of performing arts specialists looking at professional performing arts training in the UK, delivering leadership and management training on behalf of the Department of Education to Principles and CEO's of professional training colleges and Conservetoire Schools. As an advisor to Trinity College London, the BBO and the ISTD as well as a range of professional performing arts training schools and colleges she has been involved in the development of international dance qualifications and has given guidance in quality and business improvement. Maggie also lectures on dance teaching. She has been honoured to present key note speeches at the Bonnie Bird Choreography Awards and at the ISTD International teacher's graduation ceremony.
Currently her key focus is on developing the work of Safe in Dance International and promoting healthy dance practice world-wide.
Maggie has been a member of the Arts Council Dance panel, the Dance UK executive committee, and the Council for Dance Education and Training Accreditation Board. She is a trustee of the English National Ballet School and of Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund where she was Chair until 2016 She has written on the performing arts for publications in both the USA and Europe. Margaret has an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University. She is a member of IADMS and has presented at IADMS several times. She is also a member of Healthy Dancer Canada, One Dance UK and People Dancing.