Masters in Applied Theatre

at York St John University: Personal Statement 

As a imminent graduate of York St John University with a BA (Hons) in Dance and Drama, I would like to continue my studies in the arts field, though with a more specific focus on community arts work. As I aim to keep the arts at the forefront of my future, I have applied for the Applied Theatre MA at York St John University.

Having had a passion for performance growing up through participating in dance shows, taking ballet exams and performing in school plays, I have also incorporated the arts into my academic studies through GCSE, A Level and my undergraduate degree, I believe that the Applied Theatre course will broaden my knowledge and experience of how art can be used as a powerful medium for different aspects of life. I believe that the programme will be invaluable in showing me the ways in which I can create and share art with other people.

This masters will be the ideal stepping stone between finishing my undergraduate degree and becoming a community arts worker. Being able to narrow down my artistic studies towards a community based outlook will help me to develop the knowledge and skills I will require to begin my career. Also, through placements, my experience and confidence in community settings will grow, thus enabling me to meet people who have careers similar to the one I am perusing and also the opportunity to learn different skills for varied community groups.

Given my past experience with Moving Minds at York St John University, I am extremely passionate about the particular field of dementia and the arts. However, I am hoping to work alongside communities other than dementia specific groups throughout my further studies to enable my practice to expand and grow as I do as an artist. I want to increase my confidence in working alongside the community, in both face to face work and also the research and development aspects of community arts projects.

I want to further my academic and practical study in art and how art can ultimately change the world. I believe that this course will help me in becoming and developing the community artist that I hope to be.

Community Arts Worker

A pitch to The Arts Council for my first pot of funding:

Filthy / Gorgeous

Having co-created a piece of theatre for my third year independent project under the style of physical theatre, dance and clowning, I hope to continue to make work with my theatre partner alongside our different career paths. 

Our company mission is as follows: 

What is comforting about staying in your comfort zone? As two female artists and friends, our work is created in a safe space in which we can expand and test our own theatrical and emotional beliefs and limits. We approach work with a sense of light-heartedness and say yes to ideas in order to springboard our creative process. We believe that the process of the work is just as important as the outcome. By tackling contemporary issues whilst maintaining a sense of play, our work causes our audiences to sit forward and think, to be moved, and inspired. We make work that we want to make. 

Our work hones the opportunity to have fun in a conflicted, often negative world. Its surrealistically explores political notions through the form of comedy. After all, not everything must be serious in order to be serious. Through the power of laughter and friendship, we have created work where we are clowns, where we are happy, where we are not imposters, where we are good enough. By subverting the male gaze from sexualising women, we have tried to re-frame a feminist approach to theatre. 

This work is joyful.