Panel discussion: Dutch Dance Research - Why doesn't embodied knowledge matter (yet)?

How can knowledge embodied in the body be given a rightful place in dance? And why is this knowledge not always recognised as a form of thinking, learning and understanding?

During this Dutch Dance Research event, practitioners, researchers, educators and the public will engage in a discussion about embodied knowledge. Dutch Dance Research is a collaboration between Nederlandse Dansdagen/dansMuseum, ICK Dans Amsterdam and Fontys Academy of the Arts, and is committed to the visibility, continuity and accessibility of dance research in the Netherlands.

Following on from last year’s discussion, ‘Why Embodied Knowledge Matters’, the 2026 conversation ties in with the festival’s focus on the dynamics between culture and identity. For how can we speak of identity, culture and transmission without also listening to what the body knows, carries and passes on?

Under the title ‘Why doesn’t embodied knowledge matter (yet)?’, we will explore how knowledge arises, is experienced and is passed on within dance practices. What role do language, representation and documentation play in its recognition? And how can institutions contribute to a broader appreciation of this form of knowledge?

The discussion will be led by Dr Caroline Ribbers, Stephen Shropshire and Dr Suzan Tunca, followed by an open dialogue with the audience and performative breaks by Joseph Simon.

Language: English

Dr. Caroline Ribbers works as a faculty member and researcher in the field of embodied education at the Fontys Academy of the Arts. There, she teaches yoga classes as part of the Dance Arts in Context program, mentors students conducting research on the relationship between dance and embodied practice, and leads the Embodied Education Lab, a space where students, faculty, and researchers find the opportunity and support to explore the potential and development of embodied education. Ribbers’ work is strongly informed by her doctoral research, an educational design study that resulted in a yoga method for dance students aimed at developing their embodied learning through meta-learning. Caroline is also an active member of the international DEED network (Designing Embodied Education in Dance), which explores how dance education at the tertiary level (BA, MA, MFA, PhD) can be reshaped through the integration of embodied perspectives. Ribbers is also curious about how embodied approaches to education can be applied outside the realm of dance.

Stephen Shropshire is a choreographer, curator, and dance researcher. He has created new choreographic works for companies and festivals around the world. He graduated from The Juilliard School in New York City, holds a master’s degree from Maastricht University, and is currently a doctoral candidate at PhDArts, the Academy for Creative and Performing Arts at Leiden University, in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. Since 2017, Shropshire has been the chief curator of the Nederlandse Dansdagen dansMuseum, and since 2025, a core team member of the COMMA Master’s program in Choreography at the Fontys Academy of the Arts and Codarts Rotterdam.

Dr. Suzan Tunca (Turkey/Germany) works as a dancer, dance researcher, choreographer, and educator, and is the director of the Academy at ICK Dans Amsterdam. Between 1998 and 2016, she performed internationally as a dancer with companies including Krisztina de Châtel and Emio Greco | PC. In 2023, she earned her PhD from PhDArts at Leiden University with a dissertation on a “dancing language” in which she brings together bodily theory and discursive practice. She previously completed an MA in Artistic Research at the University of Amsterdam and is an alumna of the third-cycle performing arts practice-based research program DAS THIRD (Amsterdam University of the Arts). She supervises artistic research by dance artists in professional practice at ICK and in educational programs at the PhD, MA, and BA levels at institutions including Leiden University, DAS Choreography, Codarts, and Fontys. Since 2025, she has been a member of Route Kunst, an advisory steering group for arts research at the Nederlandse Wetenschapsagenda.

About Dutch Dance Research

Dutch Dance Research provides a platform for dance research in the Netherlands with the goal of making the necessity of research for the art of dance and its social relevance visible and accessible to a broad audience.

Dutch Dance Research is a joint initiative of the Nederlandse Dansdagen, the dansMuseum, and ICK Dans Amsterdam. This year, they are joining forces with new partners: Fontys Academy of the Arts and the Hans van Manen-leerstoel at the University of Amsterdam.

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