High honour for Jennifer Shennan

by Tania Kopytko

In December 2004 Jennifer Shennan, Dance Anthropologist, dance writer, reviewer, lecturer and tutor based in Wellington, was awarded the prestigious Goethe Institut Cultural Visitor Award which will allow her to visit Germany for a study tour in June 2005.

Goethe Instituts around the world put in their nominations annually, which are then decided by the Head Office in Germany. Dr Gerrit Bretzler, Director of the Goethe-Institut in New Zealand was thrilled that a New Zealand nomination was accepted as this is his last year with the New Zealand Institut.

Jennifer is genuinely delighted at this important recognition the Goethe Institut has given to her dance literature and research work. A recognition which recognizes the considerable range and quality of work Jennifer publishes as well as the years of experience it derives from. The proposal that Jennifer was asked to put forward covered a variety of themes and it is these that will form the basis of her study tour. She will investigate the choreography, vision and performances of eminent German choreographers John Neumeier, Pina Bausch, Susanne Linke and Sasha Waltz. Jennifer's visit coincides with a June feast of Neumeier performances including his very popular forums on choreography and performance. Neumeier is known to be very articulate about his work and an entertaining speaker. A second theme will be looking at the way New Zealand artists work successfully in Germany. Jennifer will be contacting New Zealanders such as Lisa Densem and Michael Brett (dance musician) and others who are making successful careers in Germany. The third theme is to investigate and make links with German academics who specialize in the anthropology of the Pacific regions as well as museums and galleries with such interests.

In typical Jennifer style, she will also use this study trip to fit in extra opportunities and work. While in the UK she will teach Baroque dance at the London Contemporary Dance School through her links with New Zealander Patricia Rianne. She will also visit Poznan, in Poland, where her mentor, the eminent dance anthropologist Professor Roderyk Lange, is Director of the Instytut Choreologii and Head of Dance Studies at the Warsaw Conservatorium of Music. It was under Professor Lange's tutelage in 1970 that Jennifer was inspired to study Kinetography Laban, of which Jennifer is one of a few New Zealand specialists.

Jennifer will be discussing the possibility of embarking on a PhD programme through the Warsaw Conservatorium. The topic of her intended research is the dance of the Banaban people. In 1945 the Banabans were evacuated from their home island to Rabi Island in Fiji. But that's another story… which Jennifer will tell us in the future.

Return to DANZnet Magazine Index